Amidst the silence, the faces of the Song Clan members were somewhat unsightly as they sat in their pillar of light. Eccentric Song was there too, frowning and sighing inwardly.
All of the Cultivators present, including the Spirit Severing Patriarchs, were oblivious to the fact than an old man had suddenly joined the crowd. He was emaciated and unimposing in appearance. However, no one noticed that he was there, almost as if he weren’t part of the world.
The old man smiled. “You entered the realm of Perfection, kid,” he said lightly to himself. “There’s a thing called Karma in the world, and today, I will help you to sow it. In the future, I will seize your Perfection, that will be the reaping of the Karma.” No one, of course, could hear him. This was none other than the ancient tenth Patriarch of the Wang Clan.
Everyone continued to wait silently.
Meanwhile, at the very edge of the Southern Domain, near where the State of Zhao used to exist, past the numerous mountain ranges, was a vast sea.
This was none other than the Milky Way Sea, which separated the West and South from the North and East.
Suddenly the air above the Milky Way Sea outside of the Southern Domain began to ripple and distort. A blurry image appeared, a person, who suddenly stepped forward. The figure was indistinct at first, but it rapidly coalesced into an old man.
This was none other than the old man who had been fishing Karma on the peak of White Mountain in the Eastern Lands, Ji Clan Patriarch Ji Fang!
He hovered in mid-air above the Milky Way Sea, looking out at the Southern Domain. Then, his body flickered, and he shot forward. However, even as he neared the border of the Southern Domain and was about to enter, he frowned and let out a cold snort. He raised his right arm and flicked it out ahead of him.
A boom filled the air, spreading out in all directions, causing the ocean water beneath him to seethe and roar. The land comprising the border of the Southern Domain quaked, and the great boulders lining the seashore cracked and disintegrated.
As the land crumbled and the seawater churned, an old man appeared in front of Ji Fang. He wore a long gray robe upon each sleeve of which was the image of a pill furnace.
The old man’s hair was long and white, and he was very thin, with dark blotches on his skin. His expression was placid, yet filled with power. His eyes glowed brightly, and a Heavenly aura seemed to be concealed within them.
The strong aroma of medicinal pills wafted out from him to fill the area.
Ji Fang gave him a cold look and then said, “Should I call you Violet East, or Pill Demon?!”
This old man was none other than Meng Hao’s Master, Pill Demon!
Pill Demon was silent for a moment, then looked back at Ji Fang. “Violet East has perished, I’m Pill Demon.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter if you’re Pill Demon or Violet East,” he said coldly, lifting his head slightly, “if you want to prevent the Violet Fate Sect from being destroyed, then get out of my way. Anyone who kills a member of my Ji Clan must die!”
Pill Demon shook his head. “I’m his Master. He kowtowed to me three times, now it’s time for me to do something for him.” He waved his right arm, and suddenly a bronze pill furnace magically appeared in his hand. It immediately emanated an ancient Qi, which spilled out in all directions. A bluish mist poured out from the pill furnace, circling around, making the entire area into a world of fog.
“If you were really Violet East, then I might have some misgivings,” said Ji Fang with a harrumph. “But as for you, you’re clearly… looking to die!” With that he raised his hand, and the mist grew thicker, immediately inundating both himself and Pill Demon.
It was impossible to see them now. Only explosion after explosion could be heard, echoing out from within the mist. Beneath them, the Milky Way Sea seethed. The border lands of the Southern Domain quaked. Each and every attack made by either man contained enough power to shake the Heavens and rock the Earth.
A grim voice echoed out from within the mist. “Pill Demon, is it really worth it to do something like this for your apprentice? You might be able to stop me, but can you stop the entire Ji Clan?”
“He chose to become my apprentice, and I chose to become his Master. That’s not something that can be erased by forsaking a Sect. I believe it’s worth it. All of it! I can’t stop the Ji Clan, but I can hold you off for a moment. That’s enough!”