Chapter 68: Whose Avatar Are You?

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

In a dim and ominous hall shrouded in gray fog, twelve bronze lamps flickered eerily on a long table.

Behind each lamp sat a figure, their faces obscured by masks intricately carved with strange patterns.

“The plan to resurrect the Ancestral Magus has failed,” one of them stated. “Every member of the Ghost Mage Sect has been exterminated. From the traces left at the scene, the Ancestral Magus was killed,” another added.

“The attempt by He Yuanfeng of the Sancai Academy to sacrifice the Dao also failed, interrupted by someone,” a third voice chimed in.

“After the revival of the Barbarian God, she didn’t act as we expected and abandoned the Barbarian Tribe instead,” said another in a calm tone.

“Hmph, those barbarians, mere human-shaped beasts, deserve to be exiled to the Abyss of the Fallen God, to be confined there till death,” someone commented scornfully.

Ignoring the remark, the first speaker slowly continued, “It seems that someone has been thwarting our plans.”

“Xuan Ming, you are skilled in divination. Can you deduce who it might be?” asked someone sitting opposite the first speaker.

“I cannot.”

The figure referred to as “Xuan Ming,” whose mask was marked with twin snakes, shook their head.

“Are there traces of any interference with the celestial secrets?” the inquirer pressed.

“No, ” Xuan Ming replied.

“Any backlash from your divination efforts?” came another question.

“None,” Xuan Ming confirmed again.

“…How peculiar,” the inquirer mused.

“Perhaps it was a fluke, a passing expert who suppressed the Ancestral Magus,” someone else suggested.

Xuan Ming gave no response, and the others remained silent as well. “This matter requires our attention,” the person opposite Xuan Ming stated.

“Agreed.”

“Agreed.”

Voices of concurrence echoed around the table. A jade scroll then appeared in the void, glowing as it recorded this discussion, before vanishing back into nothingness.

“The most pressing issue at hand now is the ‘Abyssal Heavenly Realm.'” Xuan Ming pondered briefly before asking, “Di Jiang, what are your thoughts?”

“Xu, the ancient Heavenly Emperor, was a deity of immense power, comparable to a Saint. His entire legacy lies within the Abyssal Heavenly Realm. Whoever acquires his Dao could ascend to great heights,” the figure known as Di Jiang spoke.

“According to historical records, the Heavenly Emperor Xu once possessed a fateful spiritual treasure, which he integrated into his imperial weapon to stabilize his own fortune. We suspect it to be a fragment of the ‘Creation and Transformation Scroll.’ After the Heavenly Emperor’s fall, his imperial weapon vanished, likely hidden within the Abyssal Heavenly Realm.”

“By collecting the fragments of the Creation and Transformation Scroll and sacrificing them to this peculiar space, we can anchor coordinates for the ‘Immortal Tomb,’ hastening its descent.”

Xuan Ming looked towards the main seat at the council table. It was empty, marked only by a chair and an extinguished bronze lamp.

“The emergence of the Abyssal Heavenly Realm is imminent. Our calculations suggest it will appear near the mermen kingdom in the Eastern Sea.”

Di Jiang continued, “Legend has it that the Heavenly Emperor Xu once fell in love with a mermaid maiden. Perhaps for this reason, the Abyssal Heavenly Realm is hidden within the Eastern Sea.”

“If it’s near the mermen kingdom, I can intervene,” a voice interjected, its tone rough. The speaker’s mask was adorned with black dragon scale patterns.

“Are you free lately, Gong Gong?” Xuan Ming inquired.

“On my way to the Eastern Sea, I need to gather some supplies,” replied Gong Gong, wearing the black dragon mask.

“Good,” Xuan Ming nodded.

The twelve figures in the hall had each entered this mysterious space by chance. Within it, their destinies were obscured, making it impossible to discern each other’s true appearances and origins. They donned the masks placed on the bronze table, using the identities on the masks as their code names.

Gong Gong claimed to be a pirate in the real world, a notorious figure who roamed the seas, engaging in murder and plunder. A devout follower of the “Ancestor of Longevity, ” he was wanted by the righteous path and proudly identified as a demon path cultivator.

The other eleven members neither affirmed nor denied his claims. They often probed each other’s identities while concealing their own tracks. Height, build, voice, gender… All could be deceptive.

“Then, this matter is entrusted to you,” Xuan Ming concluded. “Does anyone have objections?”

Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Di Jiang instructed, “As usual, our interactions are limited to this space. Once we leave, we must not speak, mention, think, or allude to anything discussed here.”

“I understand, ” Gong Gong nodded in agreement.

“You can bring anything you need from the Abyssal Heavenly Realm to this space for exchange,” Xuan Ming suggested. “We can trade resources as needed.”

“If I find something of interest, I’ll consider trading with you all,” Gong Gong agreed. “If you have specific requests, bring them up in our next meeting, and

I’ll keep an eye out.”

“Hmm… I do have something I want,” a languid female voice spoke up. The woman’s masked face was indistinct, but her figure was striking. “I heard that the Heavenly Emperor Xu was a top-tier beauty in the Cangyuan world. I’ve long been curious about him. Gong Gong, if you could bring back a portrait of him, I’d be delighted.”

“Why would you want his portrait, Yan Zi? The Heavenly Emperor Xu has been gone for many years. Any dragon fortune in his image would have faded by now,” another cold female voice interjected.

“Sister Hou Tu, isn’t it normal for a witch from Heavenly Desires Sect to yearn for a man?” Yan Zi rested her chin on her hand, lounging on the table.

“Hmph,” Hou Tu glanced at her. “The Heavenly Desires Sect was exterminated fifty thousand years ago. Next time, try a more plausible excuse.”

“Sister knows so much about demonic sects, huh?” Yan Zi’s voice carried a teasing tone behind her mask.

“Of course, I am the top demoness in the demonic path. Is there a problem with that?” Hou Tu retorted.

“Weren’t you claiming to be the princess of the Great Xia last time?” Yan Zi blinked.

“Undercover work. No conflict there,” Hou Tu replied coolly.

“Enough,” Xuan Ming intervened, tapping the table. “Save your bickering for later. Let’s focus on the matter at hand.’

The twelve figures, all claiming to be cultivators of the demonic path with grand titles, appeared to be gathering for a sinister council.

“Gong Gong, there’s something you need to be aware of,” a man wearing a Zhu

Long mask, seated at the far end of the bronze table, spoke up. “To obtain the Heavenly Emperor Xu’s legacy, you might need the Dragon Emperor’s vital energy for the sacrifice. If needed, I can arrange to get some for you.”

Everyone turned to Zhu Long, their looks clearly inquisitive.

“Are you implying you can procure the vital energy of an imperial dynasty? Just whose avatar are you?”

Zhu Long pondered for a moment, “It’s not unusual for someone from our Dao Evolution Sect to steal vital energy from others, right?”