The Heavens: Man Covers the Heavens, Refines Treasures to Become an Emperor

That legendary... fiend who has long since vanished into the dust of history?!

"Hoo..." Tingyu closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forcibly suppressed the surging waves in her heart and the bone-chilling cold.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze had returned to its usual deep calm, but beneath that calm lay an indescribable solemnity and... apprehension.

"Pass the order."

The sound of rain returned to its cool tone, yet carried an undeniable decisiveness.

"Cancel all missions related to Jiang Xuan. All accepted assassination requests will incur penalties."

From this moment forward, no one in Tingyu Tower shall have any further conflict with this person!

"Cancel...cancel the mission?!"

The servant was completely stunned, staring at Tingyu in disbelief.

"My lord! Because... because of a single sentence? That person only asked us to deliver a message! We, the Listening Rain Pavilion..."

"Shut up!"

The sound of the rain suddenly turned cold, like an ice blade scraping against the servant's eardrums, instantly silencing him.

"Execute the order! Immediately!"

He slowly stood up, walked to the edge of the waterside pavilion, and gazed at the lake under the starlight. His back view exuded an unprecedented solemnity.

“Jiang Xuan… is not someone we can touch.”

The sound of rain is deep and clear, carrying a weariness of discerning the truth.

"Or rather... the person standing behind him is Tingyulou... an existence that is absolutely not to be trifled with! Go and do it."

The attendant looked at the master's unusually solemn back. Although he was still filled with confusion and shock, his years of absolute obedience made him dare not ask any more questions.

He bowed deeply.

"Yes! I obey my orders!"

His figure then vanished like a ghost, disappearing into the shadows to deliver the order.

Once again, only Tingyu remained in the waterside pavilion.

He gazed at the twinkling stars reflected in the lake, his fingertips unconsciously tracing the glaring bloodstain on the instrument, muttering to himself as if asking himself, or perhaps asking that distant legend.

"Cangshan Muxue...you...are still alive? And...you're protecting that boy?"

Inside the luxurious and exquisite villa of the Lian family in Yanxia City.

The heater continued to emit warm air, but it couldn't dispel the anxiety and unease on Yao Susu and Lian Fei's faces.

It was nearly dawn, but the outside was deathly silent, with no news coming back.

"Useless! Those guys from Tingyulou are useless too!"

Lian Fei paced back and forth irritably, his expensive brocade boots making a mess of the soft carpet.

"What time is it! Not a single word! Killing someone, does it really take this long?! Ten thousand gold coins to hire this bunch of good-for-nothings?!"

"Brother Fei, please calm down."

Yao Susu sat upright on the soft couch, the white jade teacup in her hands already cold. She tried to remain calm as she comforted Yao Susu, but her slightly furrowed brows and a hint of anxiety deep in her eyes betrayed her inner unease.

"Tingyu Tower has never failed in its attacks. Besides, with so many powerful families joining forces to besiege him, Jiang Xuan... has no chance of escape! Perhaps... the cleanup will take time?"

She was trying to persuade Lian Fei, but more importantly, she was trying to persuade herself.

For some reason, an ominous premonition, like a cold, venomous snake, quietly coiled around her heart.

at this time
boom!
The tightly closed door of the warm chamber was suddenly pushed open with tremendous force! The door slammed against the wall with a loud bang!
A figure, exuding the chill of the night and barely suppressed rage, strode in! It was Yao Tuohai!
At this moment, Yao Tuohai was completely devoid of his usual otherworldly demeanor and composure.

His face was ashen, his eyes were terrifyingly gloomy, and his dark robe was even stained with some mud and... not-yet-dry dark red marks? The three strands of willow beard under his chin also looked somewhat disheveled.

"Father?"

"Uncle Yao?"

Yao Susu and Lian Fei were both shocked and stood up at the same time. Seeing Yao Tuohai's unprecedentedly disheveled appearance, their unease instantly reached its peak!

Yao Tuohai's icy gaze swept over the two of them like a knife, especially lingering on Lian Fei for a moment. The chill in his gaze made Lian Fei feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and he involuntarily took a step back.

“From now on,” Yao Tuohai’s voice was hoarse and cold, like a chilling wind from the depths of hell, each word spoken with an unquestionable command.

"Don't concern yourself with anything related to Jiang Xuan anymore! Not a single word is allowed to be mentioned! And you are absolutely forbidden from making any moves behind the scenes! Do you understand?!"

Like two thunderbolts, they struck Yao Susu and Lian Fei hard on the head!

Yao Susu's pretty face turned deathly pale instantly, and her delicate body trembled slightly.

Father's words were tantamount to declaring the complete failure of tonight's operation! And... it was the kind of failure that even Father was wary of and needed to be strictly kept silent about!

Jiang Xuan… he actually survived?! Survived the siege of the three silver-ranked assassins of Tingyu Tower and more than a dozen powerful families?! How is this possible?! Father… could it be that you also…? An even more terrifying thought sent chills down her spine, and she dared not think any further.

Lian Fei was struck dumb, his face turning from red to white, then from white to green, filled with extreme shock, disappointment, and disbelief!
He looked up abruptly, his voice trembling with excitement.

"Uncle! What about Jiang Xuan...?"

"Shut up!"

Yao Tuohai abruptly interrupted him, his eyes sharp as lightning, and a terrifying pressure instantly enveloped Lian Fei.

"Lian Fei! If you still want to avenge your brother Lian Rufeng, then put away your foolish thoughts! Use your energy on the right path! Pass the provincial examination and prove yourself honestly and fairly! Instead of resorting to petty tricks that are beneath you and causing a huge disaster!"

Yao Tuohai's words struck Lian Fei's heart like a heavy hammer.

He staggered back a few steps, his face ashen, his lips trembling, but he couldn't utter a single word.

Jiang Xuan… is actually still alive! And even Uncle Yao is so wary of him, even… terrified?!

Looking at the distraught Lian Fei and his pale-faced daughter, whose eyes were filled with fear and confusion, Yao Tuohai felt a surge of powerlessness and a deeper sense of apprehension.

He said nothing more, only gave the two of them a deep, warning look, snorted coldly, turned around, and disappeared swiftly into the last darkness before dawn, leaving behind an icy aura.

Inside the warm pavilion, only Yao Susu and Lian Fei remained, speechless in each other's presence. A deathly silence permeated the air, filled with an inescapable fear and a profound mystery.

Jiang Xuan... how did you do that?

The next day, as the sun rose, golden sunlight bathed Yanxia City, dispelling the gloom of the previous night's torrential rain.

However, the entire city fell into an eerie and unsettling calm.

In the streets and alleys, in restaurants and teahouses, all the cultivators were secretly exchanging glances and whispering among themselves, their faces filled with surprise and uncertainty.

"Last night... there was such a commotion... how come there's been no news at all?"

"Yes! I heard that more than a dozen powerful families made a joint move, and there were also assassins from Tingyulou... Logically speaking, it should have been widely known by now!"

"Strange... This is too strange! All the families involved in the operation are staying home today, eerily quiet!" "Could it be... that poor kid named Jiang Xuan has really stirred up trouble?"

This unusual calm was more oppressive and frightening than a raging storm.

It was as if an invisible giant hand had forcibly erased all the bloodshed and clamor of last night, leaving only a suffocating blank space.

West of the city, the headquarters of the Qingyun Society.

Cao Yunxiu stood by the window, looking at the seemingly peaceful street outside. His face was so gloomy that it was almost dripping with water, and his clenched fists were white at the knuckles.

"Peaceful? What a peaceful place!"

He hissed softly, filled with resentment and fear.

"What a grand gesture! What a powerful deterrent! To silence more than a dozen powerful families! Even Tingyu Tower has backed down! Jiang Xuan... who exactly is standing behind you?!"

He had originally planned to capitalize on Jiang Xuan's murder last night, stirring up the pent-up anger of the poor against the powerful, thus building momentum for the Qingyun Society and rallying its supporters! But now… this deathly calm was like a bucket of ice water, utterly extinguishing all his calculations!
He couldn't even light a single spark!

“Senior Brother Cao,” a key member of the Qingyun Society walked in, his face showing unease and confusion.

"Rumors are circulating outside... that Jiang Xuan might still be alive... we..."

"Alive?"

Cao Yunxiu turned around abruptly, his eyes cold and sharp, interrupting the other person.

"What does it matter if he's alive or dead? Don't forget, he refused the Qingyun Society's invitation! Those who walk different paths cannot work together!"
Whether Jiang Xuan lives or dies, whether he is blessed or cursed, is none of my business with the Qingyun Society!

His voice was resolute, with a deliberate air of detachment.

"As for the powerful families... Hmph! Their silence today only proves their weakness and fear! This further demonstrates that the path of my Qingyun Society is correct! Only by uniting as one and striving unceasingly can the humble and poor truly rise! Tell all members that what happened last night has nothing to do with us! Focus on preparing for the provincial examination! One day, this Yanxia City, and even the entire empire, will surely have a place for our humble family!"

The core members, seeing Cao Yunxiu's cold and resolute gaze, felt a chill run down their spines and quickly responded.

"Yes! Senior brother!"

Cao Yunxiu waved for him to leave, then stood alone by the window, his eyes fixed on the direction of the city lord's mansion with a sinister look.

Jiang Xuan... no matter who's behind you... the banner of this humble family in Yanxia City... can only belong to me, Cao Yunxiu!

Enveloped in endless darkness and warmth, Jiang Xuan's consciousness rose and fell.

Excruciating pain, exhaustion, chilling murderous intent... a chaotic mix of sensations.

In the depths of this chaos, a clear, ethereal voice, seemingly from beyond the heavens, resounded directly in the depths of his soul without warning.

"The Heavenly Secret Realm will open again in one year."

"Qingyun Avenue, Third Gate: Hundred Battles".

"There are only three chances."

"If you are defeated... the secret realm will be sealed, and it will remain dormant for a thousand years."

The voice, like a cold stream, was clearly imprinted in Jiang Xuan's mind, carrying an undeniable power of rules.

The moment the words left his mouth.
"Uh!"

Jiang Xuan groaned, his heavy eyelids snapping open! The blinding light rushed in, causing him to squint instinctively.

Consciousness rises slowly from the deep sea.

Jiang Xuan opened his eyes and saw the familiar wooden beams and roof. The room was filled with a unique scent that was a mixture of faint herbs and wood.

Beneath me were soft, dry bedding, and the faint morning light streamed in through the window, creating a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.

The tension that had been building for so long finally eased completely at this moment.

He is back.

After a brief moment of peace, the clear, ethereal voice from my dream resurfaced clearly in my mind.

"The Heavenly Secret Realm will open again in one year."

"Qingyun Avenue, Third Gate: Hundred Battles".

"There are only three chances."

"If you are defeated... the secret realm will be sealed, and it will remain dormant for a thousand years."

Jiang Xuan's eyes sharpened instantly.

"One year later... Baizhan Pass..." he murmured to himself, his mind racing.

"After the provincial examination comes the national examination, and shortly after that... there are less than three months until the next secret realm opens!"

Time is running out!

He immediately recalled his experiences from the previous two attempts.

The first time, in that mysterious Tongtian Secret Realm, he survived by the skin of his teeth and finally obtained the heaven-defying Refining Mystic Technique [Minor Netherworld Divine Art], which not only repaired the fatal old wounds in the four acupoints of his heart meridian, but also laid a powerful foundation for his divine soul.

The second time, the gains were even more astonishing! The first part of the [Dongxuan Devouring Wilderness Scripture], a technique that directly points to the origin of the Great Dao, gave him a solid foundation far exceeding that of his peers and the potential to devour and refine all things; the first part of the [Tianyuan Blade Technique], a terrifying blade technique containing the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, is one of his greatest reliance in his current dominance in battle! These two techniques are enough to support his cultivation all the way to the Cave Heaven Realm, or even higher levels!

"Hundred Battles... Just hearing the name tells you how dangerous it is..." Jiang Xuan took a deep breath, suppressed the sense of urgency in his heart, and began to carefully examine his own condition.

Although his internal spiritual energy was not yet fully replenished, it had recovered by more than half, like a dried-up riverbed being refilled with living water, flowing ceaselessly. The [Dongxuan Devouring Wilderness Scripture] operated autonomously, slowly absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, nourishing his meridians.

What delighted him most was that the terrifying bloody hole in his chest, pierced by the Remnant Snow Spirit Arrow and nearly costing him his life, had now completely healed! Only a faint scar remained, a testament to the severe injury he had suffered.

Upon internal inspection, the damaged lung meridians have been mostly repaired, but they are still somewhat weak and need time to rest and recuperate.

"Phew..." Jiang Xuan let out a long sigh of relief, feeling somewhat calmer.

This recovery speed far exceeded his expectations; it seems that Xue Jin used excellent elixirs on him.

Just then, a strange sound came from the courtyard.

"Chirp chirp~! Chirp chirp chirp!"

It was a cheerful chirping sound, but there seemed to be a hint of... intoxication in the sound?
Immediately following was a loud, boisterous laugh.

"Hahaha! Little guy, you've got a good capacity for alcohol! Another sip! Tsk, this liquor is really strong, and you're such a small guy..."

It's Snow Gold!
Jiang Xuan raised an eyebrow, threw off the covers, and got up.

Although she is still somewhat weak, she can move around without much difficulty.

He pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard.

In the center of the courtyard, beside a stone table, Xue Jin was holding his signature large wine jar, tilting his head back to take a gulp, exhaling the smell of alcohol.

On the stone table, a fluffy, round chirp was wobbling on the edge of a wine glass that was larger than itself.

The little guy had big, watery eyes, a rosy face, and peered into the amber liquid in his glass, chirping softly. His round body swayed from side to side, as if he might fall headfirst into the glass at any moment—he was clearly drunk! (End of Chapter)