Wandering the Four Seas, Chapter 142: Heavenly Retribution

The Arts of Qimen Dunjia encompass both common sense and metaphysics, embracing astronomy and geography alike. Since ancient times, it has been the supreme art of assisting emperors and prime ministers.

Those who master Qimen Dunjia know when the heavens will gather clouds and when rain will fall... how the spring breeze carries forth the tender buds, and how the breath of autumn brings on desolation. It echoes the twenty-four solar terms, containing the seasons of the heavens. In the myriad worlds, one who is ignorant of these principles—even possessing the valor of ten thousand men and a mastery of tactical formations—can hardly be called both wise and brave.

The scale clouds in the firmament grew thicker and denser, completely obscuring the golden crow of the distant sky. The lanterns floating across Spirit-Rhino Island emitted a translucent white glow, illuminating the island suspended mid-air.

"Guan Xiong, Senior Mo has generously offered his cherished Universe Tai'e Pagoda to all living beings under heaven," Bai Wuhai said to Guan Xiong, his demeanor dripping with arrogance and carrying the implicit tone of a command. "As a resident of Spirit-Rhino Island, surely you cannot be so lacking in insight?"

On his way back to the Mo Residence, Guan Xiong had received the jade pendant handed to him by Su Ye. Inside it was housed the Huayang Azure Dragon Cauldron, which had already recognized its master. This spirit treasure attracted Bai Wuhai even more intensely than the Universe Tai'e Pagoda that imprisoned demons and evil spirits. If he could only choose one, he would abandon the pagoda without a moment's hesitation to take the Azure Dragon Cauldron.

Taking the Azure Dragon jade pendant, Bai Wuhai wore an expression of intense excitement, looking thoroughly pleased with himself: "The Azure Dragon jade pendant carrying the Azure Dragon Cauldron—truly a match made in heaven."

"Senior Bai, today your mediocre-talented brother has entered the cycle of reincarnation, no longer troubling your cultivation," Su Ye said with a hearty laugh. "Merely obtaining the pagoda is still not quite satisfying. Why not strike while the iron is hot and claim this Azure Dragon Cauldron for your own use as well?"

A flash of cold light flickered in the depths of Bai Wuhai's eyes. He glanced at Su Ye and feigned a smile: "Friend Su's words are entirely to this poor priest's liking."

Guan Xiong's heart beat like a drum, and he secretly broke into a cold sweat for Su Ye. Bai Wuhai had always been ruthless; for the sake of refining Blood Soul Jade, he had practically replaced all the maidservants and footmen in the Bai Mansion. With such a vicious heart, how could he show mercy?

Su Ye's identity as an outer disciple of the Yuxuan Sect was entirely different from Su Ye, the renowned figure shaking the world. Because of Bai Wuhai's unique status, even if Su Ye revealed his true might, it would hardly make him rein in his murderous intent.

Sensing Su Ye through his spiritual sense, Guan Xiong found his aura completely steady, without a shred of panic. To possess such composed poise while only at the Return to Origin realm—Guan Xiong sighed in silent admiration, thinking to himself: "Friend Su's mind is crystal clear, and his depth is like an unfathomable sea... He is beyond measure better than that overbearing and tyrannical Bai Wuhai."

Even as a fellow townsman, Guan Xiong naturally leaned closer toward Su Ye, who distinguished right from wrong and never bullied others.

With black Qi lingering at his fingertips, Bai Wuhai summoned the azure-colored divine cauldron from the jade pendant. Its three legs struck the ground, and with a weight of a thousand jun, it instantly dispersed all the floating mist, revealing the clear stone bricks three feet around.

The patterns upon it were vaguely recognizable as Sanskrit characters, constructing a certain Dharma formation.

Bai Wuhai's eyes glowed as he shifted his feet, slowly circling the cauldron. "As expected of a cauldron crafted personally by the Ancestor of Artifacts—it conceals the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain Formation, augmented by Fire Spirit Jade to help its master effortlessly command flames," Bai Wuhai's words were filled with excitement. "The 'Naturally Formed Array' within the cauldron's walls allows pills to be refined of their own accord. Even cultivators without any talent for alchemy can use this cauldron to forge pills..."

The greed in his eyes was displayed without the slightest concealment.

Rumble...

From within the dark, overcast clouds in the sky came the faint rumble of distant thunder.

Stunned to speechlessness with rage, Island Master Mo clenched his fat fists and silently cursed all eighteen generations of Bai Wuhai's ancestors. *"You little bastard, those who commit many injustices will inevitably destroy themselves—just wait to be blasted into dust by heavenly lightning!"*

Though cursing inwardly, he dared not show it outwardly. Mulling it over, he felt rather cowardly. Those who seek the Dao in pursuit of longevity fear death far more ordinary people. Apart from those detached, enlightened masters, very few cultivators could transcend this principle.

Island Master Mo had not yet shed his greed; reluctant to part with the magic treasures in his treasury, he could not summon a shred of manly courage. He couldn't help but curse himself internally: *"Mo Wuji, oh Mo Wuji, you've cultivated your whole life without stepping into the wondrous truth realm, and instead, you've cultivated away your righteous masculinity. If word of this gets out, how will you ever have the face to see anyone again?"*

Lowering his head in dejection, he refused to look at the Bai Wuhai who irritated him so.

Within his spiritual sense, a faint voice drifted over.

"Senior Mo need not worry; this person will surely die."

It sounded dreamlike and illusory, indistinguishable between truth and falsehood. The source of the voice was none other than Su Ye, standing with his hands behind his back.

Only, his right thumb pressed against his palm, while his remaining four fingers undulated like water ripples. Imperceptibly, he had superimposed the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain Formation twelve times. This was not to amplify his sea of Qi, but to reinforce his spiritual sense.

Within the Ten Directions Dream Realm, everyone in the courtyard was like prey on a spider's web; through the vibrations of the spider silk, their innermost thoughts could be unraveled.

Luo Jinghong felt only curiosity, with not a trace of worry. Madam Mo was filled with annoyance—not only angry at Bai Wuhai, but also angry at Island Master Mo for failing to stand up for her. Guan Xiong felt an even greater admiration for him than when they had first met.

Bai Wuhai harbored three distinct thoughts: first, to usurp the spirit treasure and Madam Mo, along with the veiled stranger; second, to slaughter Island Master Mo and Guan Xiong, who displeased him; and third, to eradicate Su Ye, who knew far too many inside details.

Regardless of which thought it was, any one of them was enough for Su Ye to tear him limb from limb.

"Hoh~" Bai Wuhai let out a soft sound. His obsession with alchemy and his fantasies of seizing other men and women had made him let down his guard. He released his spiritual sense, blanketing the Azure Dragon Cauldron that refused to submit.

"Compassionate Guide to the Reincarnation of Souls," Su Ye murmured softly.

A golden light surged forth, and the cauldron emitted the faint, crystalline cry of a dragon. Bai Wuhai's soul consciousness was imprisoned by the cauldron within the Naturally Formed Array.

Crack!

From the heavy clouds, a bolt of lightning as thick as a child's arm descended, illuminating half the sky. Wild winds rose on all sides, whipping up the sudden downpour spilling from the clouds.

The doubt in Luo Jinghong's eyes vanished in an instant. She turned her body away, refusing to look at Bai Wuhai, who filled her with disgust.

With his left hand, Su Ye executed the Instantaneous Shanhua, gathering the heavenly thunder from the clouds. His right thumb, ring finger, and pinky curled inward while his index and middle fingers pressed together, pointing directly at the motionless Bai Wuhai.

His piercing gaze held not a shred of mercy.

The spell originally intended to kill the private tutor at the demonic cult's altar was now controlled remotely by his dual fingers. The lightning of the firmament gathered into a mass, bursting with a crackling, thunderous roar.

"Divine Realm Refinement!" Su Ye's crisp voice echoed through the sound of the rain.

He curved his fingers downward. The raging lightning—its momentum intercepted and condensed by the Instantaneous Shanhua—instantly struck the paralyzed Bai Wuhai.

Bai Wuhai's defensive spirit treasure activated, only to be suppressed by the Universe Tai'e Pagoda with its restrictions broken, rendering its power useless.

In a fraction of a second, his hair and beard were burned to nothingness. His fair skin was blasted into charred charcoal by the heavenly thunder.

A black-and-white bifurcated sword, accompanied by the lingering afterimage of the youth's retreating form, pierced through the rain curtain falling from the heavens...

When chaos first separated, Yin and Yang, the sun and the moon, were divided across heaven and earth. In a chaotic world rampaging with evil Qi, those who mend the world will inevitably be born.

Though blessed by the Mandate of Heaven, Bai Wuhai had committed the vile deeds of murdering his own brother and plotting schemes solely to seize spirit treasures. Not only was he unrepentant, but he also sought to harm more innocent lives.

"The heavens and earth may tolerate you, but I will not!" Su Ye's voice was icy cold.

His slender fingers pinched Bai Wuhai's blackened scalp, severing his head. With another sweep of his sword, he cleaved the sea of Qi in two.

Within the Ten Directions Dream Realm, Bai Wuhai's soul let out a shrill and violent shriek:

"No...!"

The once-in-a-generation genius of artifact crafting perished, his body and soul utterly destroyed.