"Why have you summoned me? Is the Celestial Cloud plan ready?"
A will descended. A terrifying aura enveloped Xuan Tianzhan and Yang Xiao, coalescing into a dazzling figure of light clad in a pale golden robe.
Its appearance was majestic, suffused with an immortal air.
Its aura was profound.
Like an abyss, like a prison.
However, one glance was all it took for Yang Xiao to breathe a sigh of relief.
'Because it wasn't him!'
'As long as it isn't him, this will be easy.'
This wasn't because Yang Xiao was afraid, but because his current strength was far too weak.
Against *that* person, he wouldn't stand a chance.
During their previous encounter, the other party hadn't even paid him any mind. Otherwise, even if it had just been a mental imprint, if it had wanted to kill him, Yang Xiao would have been annihilated without a trace.
'As for this one before me?'
'A mere mental clone of a Demigod dares to call himself an Immortal Lord. Before entering the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion, I might have been wary of him. But now? Heh heh!'
Yang Xiao sneered.
But he stayed silent with a wicked smile.
He planned to watch and see what kind of show this guy would put on.
Of course, he also wanted to gauge the true strength of this so-called Immortal Lord.
"Im-Immortal Lord, it is I, Xuan Tianzhan, who summoned you! This man is the greatest enemy to my inheritance of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion! I implore the Immortal Lord to bestow his punitive power and annihilate this whelp!"
Xuan Tianzhan was trembling in fear. This was the Immortal Lord, after all—the Tributor the Profound Celestial Sect had worshipped for over three thousand years! It could be said that the Profound Celestial Sect owed its current standing entirely to the being before him.
Not to mention, the Immortal Lord was an illustrious figure outside the Celestial Cloud Region.
According to the teachings of his ancestors, beyond Celestial Cloud was a place called the Eastern Domain.
And this Immortal Lord before him was the Lord of Immortal Dao for the entire Eastern Domain. That Eastern Domain was a territory tens of thousands of times larger than the Celestial Cloud Region, and the Celestial Cloud Region was a part of it.
A very, very small part of the Eastern Domain.
A great personage like him could annihilate all the experts in the entire Celestial Cloud Region with a single finger.
How could Xuan Tianzhan not be nervous?
"Hm? Just a Junior Cultivator at the Martial Arts Heavenly Gang Realm? You summoned me, the Immortal Lord, for a mere Junior Cultivator? Xuan Tianzhan! Do you have any idea what consequences you will face?"
The so-called Immortal Lord glanced at Yang Xiao, saw that he was just a minor character at the Martial Grandmaster Seventh Layer, and was filled with disdain. He was highly suspicious of Xuan Tianzhan's words.
"I know, I know, Immortal Lord. Your descent requires my aura as a beacon. Therefore, when you depart, you must borrow my power to return. And that power will very likely kill me on the spot."
Xuan Tianzhan said, sounding rather frightened.
Hearing this, Yang Xiao was genuinely surprised.
'No wonder this guy was so reluctant to summon this Immortal Lord.'
'So the price was his own life.'
'Tsk, tsk. To kill me, he's really going all out.'
But he didn't know.
The seemingly terrified Xuan Tianzhan was actually thinking, 'As long as I kill Yang Xiao, I will be the only Inheritor left. The Immortal Lord will need me to inherit the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion to complete the great Celestial Cloud plan. He will definitely spare my life then. Otherwise, wouldn't all his years of plotting require another thousand years of waiting?'
'And if the Immortal Lord decides not to leave immediately at the cost of my life, then I'll have a chance. Once I become the master of the Northern Wilderness Sword Mansion, will I have to worry about not having enough energy for the Immortal Lord to return?'
It had to be said, Xuan Tianzhan's calculations were quite brilliant.
It was precisely because of this plan that he had summoned the Immortal Lord's will at this most critical moment. As long as Yang Xiao was eliminated,
he would be the final winner.
"Since you know, good. I shall believe you. Is it this lowly Martial Cultivator before me? Truly an ant-like existence. Hmph!"
He snorted disdainfully.
Even though he had only appeared as a will clone, as a Void Immortal Level expert comparable to a Demigod Level martial artist, killing a Heavenly Gang Stage Mortal Martial Artist couldn't be simpler.
"For a mere Mortal Martial Artist to die by my hand is your good fortune!"
With those cold and arrogant words, the high and mighty so-called Immortal Lord raised his illusory palm and casually prepared to strike down.
And at that very moment.
A golden light flashed.
A palace appeared above the fellow's head.
The sudden change startled the East Domain Immortal Master. He no longer cared about killing Yang Xiao; with a flicker of his body, he tried to flee.
Unfortunately...
"A mere will clone of a Demigod dares to act so presumptuously before my Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace?"
Yang Xiao sneered.
With a thought, he brought the Heaven-Fighting Divine Palace crashing down.
"This... impossible! You're just a puny Mortal Martial Artist! How can you possess a True Divine Artifact...?"
The East Domain Immortal Master's expression changed drastically, but before he could finish his sentence...
...a CRACK was heard!
Just like the sound of shattering glass.
This will clone, which contained one percent of the East Domain Immortal Master's power, instantly disintegrated.
"No! I cannot accept this! I cannot accept this...!"
Leaving behind only those indignant words, this high and mighty figure...
...the East Domain Immortal Master who had thought a mere Heavenly Gang Realm Mortal Martial Artist was no threat at all...
...was instantly reduced to ash.
He died on the spot.
The tables turned in the blink of an eye!
'Even if it was just a will clone, that's enough to make that bastard feel the sting. It will take him at least ten years to recover. Haha, how satisfying.'
Yang Xiao was in a great mood.
Ever since he learned that the entire Immortal Dao was just a chess piece for *that* person.
Killing any Immortal Cultivator had become a source of pleasure for Yang Xiao.
The pleasure of slow revenge.
Because he knew very well that with that person's methods, every single Immortal Cultivator, whether willing or not, had already become a vessel for their will.
As long as that person wished it.
They could instantly control the body of any Immortal Cultivator and make them do anything.
Naturally, Yang Xiao would not show any mercy to such people.
Especially Immortal Cultivators who took the initiative to provoke him.
Like this so-called East Domain Immortal Master.
And like...
...the terrified, pale-faced Xuan Tianzhan before him.
"No, impossible! That was the Immortal Lord!"
Seeing the Immortal Lord's clone—a being he considered more powerful than a heavenly god—be obliterated just like that, Xuan Tianzhan was completely stunned.
And when he saw Yang Xiao's eyes turn toward him,
his heart leaped into his throat.
Suddenly, he did something Yang Xiao never would have expected.
The bastard.
Actually knelt.
Not only did he kneel, but he also began begging for mercy with tears and snot streaming down his face.
"Yang Xiao, no, Lord Yang! You are a magnanimous person, please forget all the wrongdoings this humble one has done before! Or, how about you just treat me like a fart and let me go?"
"I swear, I will never oppose you again, my lord! No, no, from this moment on, I, Xuan Tianzhan, am your dog! If you tell me to go east, I will never go west! If you tell this little one to eat shit, I will never drink piss!"
"As long as you spare me, I'll do anything you say."
Xuan Tianzhan looked at Yang Xiao, his face full of hope.
But his words grew more and more disgusting.
In order to live...
...he was truly going all out.
Unfortunately...
...the result was bound to disappoint him.