Hoàng Quái Nhất instantly flared up: "What utter rubbish! How could it be me? Me? How could it be me? All this time, I've been right here with you two!"

Before the Hoang Family Patriarch and all the senior elders, even Hoàng Bách Vũ found his composure cracking. His face darkened as he stared at Hoàng Quái Nhất, saying: "Speak properly when you address me! Utter another vulgarity, and I shall turn hostile!"

Hoàng Cẩm, at his side, spoke in a low, grave tone: "Quái Nhất, do you truly dare claim this was not your doing?"

"I..." Hoàng Quái Nhất was so enraged he almost suffered an internal blockage.

He desperately wanted to unleash a torrent of curses, something like "your grandmother's leg", but on second thought, that would effectively be cursing himself.

His cold gaze swept over Hoàng Cẩm and the grim-faced Hoàng Bách Vũ. "You both had best consider carefully," he stated, "what motive could I possibly have for such an act?"

"Haha, the Hoang Family's ancestral spirit crystal, amassed over countless ages, represents an immense, heaven-shaking fortune. Any soul would be tempted. What need is there to speak further of motives?" Hoàng Bách Vũ sneered.

"Then how do you explain the fact that I have been with you both this entire time?" Hoàng Quái Nhất was on the verge of openly defying them.

To be unfairly slandered like this, the sensation was truly abhorrent.

"Precisely because of that, you become suspect," Hoàng Bách Vũ sneered. "While you were with us here, a clone of yours could have returned there..."

"Let..." Hoàng Quái Nhất's fury became uncontrollable.

Hoàng Cẩm interjected, "Enough! Cease this bickering! Quái Nhất, calm yourself first. Bách Vũ, you too must regain your composure; do not fall victim to outsiders' divisive schemes!"

"Divisive schemes? Someone identical to Hoàng Quái Nhất appeared here, deceiving every single person in our Hoang Family, from the highest to the lowest! What manner of divisive plot could be so cunning?" Hoàng Bách Vũ raged. "Are we to let this basin of foul water be spilled upon some outsider instead?"

He subtly emphasized the word 'outsider', certain that both Hoàng Quái Nhất and Hoàng Cẩm would grasp his meaning.

Hoàng Quái Nhất cast a sharp glance at him. "Why not?" he countered. "Do not forget, you two..."

He did not continue, but his implication was exceedingly clear.

For a being that has partaken of the Creation Liquid, possessing such astonishing fortune, anything is possible.

"Haha, truly amusing, Hoàng Quái Nhất. Then you tell me, is there any divine ability in this world capable of transforming one into another, so perfectly that even their tone, gaze, and aura are indistinguishable? Is there such a thing?" Hoàng Bách Vũ sneered, fixing his gaze upon Hoàng Quái Nhất. "All of us here have reached this realm; all manner of divine techniques and spells are considered exquisite. You claim you don't need *us* to understand, but demand *you* understand? Then speak! What do *you* believe this to be? Speak!"

Confronted by Hoàng Bách Vũ's domineering demeanor, Hoàng Quái Nhất found himself momentarily speechless, a retort escaping him.

After a protracted silence, he finally broke it, uttering: "The Eight-Nine Arcane Art."

"Confound it!" Hoàng Bách Vũ cursed outright, nearly driving the others to madness as he glared at Hoàng Quái Nhất. "A mere legend from the mythical era? Can you truly not be any more preposterous? Why not simply declare that the Three Pure Ones themselves descended from that mythical age to steal our Hoang Family's ancestral spirit crystal?"

"Is there not even the slightest possibility of such a thing?" Hoàng Quái Nhất retorted. "Why do you refuse to acknowledge the Primordial Era?"

"Though it was a mythical age of legend, however absurd it may seem, such possibilities are not entirely remote!"

"Do not forget, what manner of beings stand behind those uppermost divine idols within the Myriad Gods Temple!"

"The mere art of transformation, though a fantastical notion to me and to these present, is it similarly impossible for those beings? Is it truly an insurmountable feat even for them?"

Hoàng Quái Nhất spoke with increasing conviction, addressing both Hoàng Bách Vũ and Hoàng Cẩm: "Furthermore, it has always been rumored that those great deities of the ancient era did not all perish. Indeed, many never truly died! Have such whispers never reached your ears?"

"Hahaha, Hoàng Quái Nhất, oh Hoàng Quái Nhất, I suddenly find you remarkably entertaining. To treat legends as facts, and tales as truth – you truly are something. Why not simply declare outright that it was some paramount existence from the very apex of the Myriad Gods Temple..."

"Watch your tongue!" Hoàng Cẩm glared fiercely at Hoàng Bách Vũ, then his brows furrowed as he turned to Hoàng Quái Nhất. "Is it truly not your doing?"

"Blast it all!" Hoàng Quái Nhất too was utterly incensed, glaring furiously at Hoàng Cẩm. "Whatever you claim it to be, that is what it is, yes? It was me, it was me, is that what you wish to hear?"

Observing Hoàng Quái Nhất's distraught demeanor, Hoàng Cẩm couldn't help but furrow his brow. "Enough," he stated calmly, "do not put on such a desperate display. Whether or not you committed this deed, your fervent denials now are of no avail. We must properly investigate and uncover the truth."

"Investigate? Of course, we shall investigate! We shall pursue this to the very end! Should anyone dare to obstruct us, I vow to contend with them unto death!" Hoàng Quái Nhất declared, his face contorted in rage as he looked at Hoàng Cẩm. "And furthermore, do not forget, it was I! It was I who perceived something amiss on our journey, divined a hexagram, and then brought you two back! It was I who sensed the impending trouble! Do you comprehend? It was I! Can you hear me clearly?"

"Ahem..." The Hoang Family Patriarch, standing nearby, upon hearing that characteristic phrase of Old Ancestor Quái Nhất, could not help but reveal an expression indicating he wished to speak, yet held his tongue.

"If you have words, speak them; if you have wind, release it!" Hoàng Quái Nhất bellowed furiously.

"Calm yourself, you must show the Patriarch due deference! Even if you are an Old Ancestor!" Hoàng Cẩm said, his brow furrowed as he watched Hoàng Quái Nhất.

Hoàng Bách Vũ, from the side, spoke with a chilling tone: "An Old Ancestor who has lived for countless ages, surely you are not unfamiliar with the deceit and treachery of the mortal realm. To put on such a display now, is it not perhaps to conceal some truth?"

Boom!

A surge of mighty aura instantly erupted from Hoàng Quái Nhất's being.

In the next instant, he fiercely unleashed a palm strike towards Hoàng Bách Vũ.

What if he was kin?

To be so unjustly slandered, he could not tolerate it!

"Do you still intend to silence me by murder?" Hoàng Bách Vũ instantly flared up, retaliating with a strike.

With a thunderous roar, the Hoang Family's deliberation hall instantly crumbled.

Even with protective array formations, it could not withstand the tyrannical aura emanating from such a top-tier Saint Realm Old Ancestor.

At this juncture, Hoàng Cẩm too found himself compelled to intervene and halt the conflict.

Bang bang bang!

The core region of the Hoang Family instantly erupted with a series of resounding crashes.

The entire Hoang Family, from high to low, was utterly dumbfounded on the spot.

What had transpired?

Previously, everyone had still been immersed in the glorious, heroic deeds of Old Ancestor Quái Nhất.

It was but a single pronouncement from Old Ancestor Quái Nhất in that bygone year that allowed this family to soar like a dragon, enter the ancestral domain, and ascend to a supreme standing in the mortal realm, becoming a top-tier aristocratic family firmly established by the long river of time.

And now, it was likewise due to an action by Old Ancestor Quái Nhất that the family was poised to reach an entirely new zenith!

Yet, why had Old Ancestor Quái Nhất returned after only a few days? And then immediately engaged in combat?

Could it be that Old Ancestor Quái Nhất's endeavor had failed?

Were the great figures of the Myriad Gods Temple truly incorruptible, refusing all benefits?

Had Old Ancestor Quái Nhất's cleverness turned into clumsiness?

Upon seeing Hoàng Cẩm also make a move, Hoàng Quái Nhất instantly turned purple with fury, his boundless energy surging like stars within a vast ocean, witnessing the situation rapidly spiraling towards an uncontrollable direction.

The Hoang Family Patriarch finally could bear it no longer, and with unwavering resolve, roared: "Enough! I am the Patriarch; I shall shoulder this responsibility, alright?"

"Impossible!" Hoàng Quái Nhất and Hoàng Bách Vũ roared in unison, even as they continued to exchange blows.

The Hoang Family Patriarch: "..."

His heart felt truly weary.

The situation was truly too arduous!

Was there any way for a person to live like this?

Hoàng Cẩm's intervention was not aimed at inflicting harm, but rather at suppressing Hoàng Quái Nhất.

Concurrently, he sought to persuade them: "Both of you, calm yourselves. This matter undoubtedly holds some peculiar anomaly. Quái Nhất, I believe you now..."

"If you believe me, then cease your attack, and allow me first to strike down this scoundrel who casts such foul accusations upon his own kin!" Hoàng Quái Nhất roared furiously.

"You ill-bred junior, how dare you address me in such a manner! And you still seek to silence me by murder? You have truly grown audacious, haven't you?" Hoàng Bách Vũ, too, was uncontrollably enraged.

His seniority surpassed that of Hoàng Quái Nhất; by familial ties, he was Hoàng Quái Nhất's direct uncle.

Though such top-tier cultivation families did not weigh seniority as heavily, prioritizing individual cultivation instead, this act of a junior defying a senior, as displayed by Hoàng Quái Nhất, remained entirely unacceptable to him.

Boom!

Numerous structures within the Hoang Family's core region crumbled, countless individuals coughed up copious amounts of blood, their faces ghastly pale as they retreated backward, flying away.

"Do you truly intend to utterly lay waste to the family?" The Hoang Family Patriarch's face was a mask of sorrow and indignation.

Who in the blazes had they offended to deserve this?

Everything was fine, so why did three Old Ancestors suddenly start fighting?

Furthermore, if the one who returned that day was not Old Ancestor Quái Nhất, then who was it?

Could it truly be that someone had cultivated the legendary Eight-Nine Arcane Art from the mythical era, and subsequently transformed into the likeness of Old Ancestor Quái Nhất?

But we are not fools!

Even if one could transform to be the exact replica of Old Ancestor Quái Nhất, could their tone, demeanor, aura... even their customary expressions, also be made identical?

Could there truly be such a cunning person in this world?

"Be gone!" Hoàng Quái Nhất, though usually appearing good-natured, rarely entered seclusion and had been active through every era.

Yet in truth, how could a supreme expert who had cultivated to such a realm be entirely devoid of temperament?

Hoàng Bách Vũ possessed an even fiercer temperament; he had long harbored resentment because his descendant had been forced to their demise by Hoàng Quái Nhất's machinations. Now, with the family suffering such grave losses, potentially never to recover, the towering inferno of rage within his heart could no longer be suppressed.

He wished to severely chastise Hoàng Quái Nhất, suppress him, and then slowly interrogate him!

As for Hoàng Cẩm, while he had always been the most composed individual, at this very moment, his inclination decidedly shifted towards Hoàng Bách Vũ's side.

This matter was far too coincidental!

Although Hoàng Quái Nhất was perpetually active, he almost never departed from the family domain. How then, could he suddenly be seized by a surge of inspiration, and subsequently divine the individual who had merged with the Creation Liquid?

The miraculous nature of the Creation Liquid was not unknown to him; a single drop formed over a billion years. Even a spiritless insect, upon acquiring that drop of Creation Liquid, could from that point onward soar to unparalleled heights!

It was said that amongst the supreme deities venerated atop the Myriad Gods Temple, there existed just such an invincible insect, blessed with such fortune!

Therefore, this was no mere tale, nor was it some mythical legend; this was the unvarnished truth!

If even a common insect could be molded into a supreme deity, then what of humanity, the paragon of all spirits?

Should a human acquire a single drop of Creation Liquid, what heaven-shaking fortune would they then possess?

Ranking within the Myriad Gods Temple would merely be the first step in their ascent, would it not?

If they did not perish, they would undoubtedly become an Upper God in the future!

How could one bearing the Creation Liquid so easily perish?

Therefore, by what means could Hoàng Quái Nhất have divined such a person?

Although Hoàng Quái Nhất's divination art was undeniably formidable, in Hoàng Cẩm's estimation, it still fell short of such a grand feat.

At that time, his mind had simply been clouded by that heaven-shaking opportunity; now, upon reflection, there existed far too many suspicious anomalies within this affair.

Had no misfortune befallen the Hoang Family, then at most, it could have been attributed to Hoàng Quái Nhất's arrogance and miscalculation.

But as fate would have it, disaster had indeed struck!

And the cause of this disaster, of all things, was none other than Hoàng Quái Nhất himself!

Even though it was Hoàng Quái Nhất who, midway, had suddenly alerted them that trouble might have occurred at home.

But could this not simply be Hoàng Quái Nhất's own elaborate fabrication?

To absolve himself, he had deliberately employed such a cunning blend of truth and fabrication.

All of them had traversed deceitful and treacherous eras; who among them dared claim their own minds held no dark, insidious thoughts?

Within the Hoang Family, two Old Ancestors also harbored suspicions toward Hoàng Quái Nhất; as for the Patriarch and the members of the Elder Council, their doubts were naturally even more pronounced.

They had, after all, witnessed Hoàng Quái Nhất's return with their own eyes, excitedly regaling them with tales.

Now he still denies it, and when challenged, he brings forth the Eight-Nine Arcane Art... Confound it, was this not all premeditated?

Hoàng Quái Nhất, however, was far from pleased with this atmosphere.

His heart swelled with grievance and indignation. He wished to know what the Patriarch and that assembly of elders were truly pondering; indeed, he did not even require divination, for their expressions already betrayed their thoughts.

Instantly, seizing the momentary slack in Hoàng Bách Vũ and Hoàng Cẩm's attacks, his figure flickered, appearing deep within the lofty heavens. "You people are all deranged!" he bellowed furiously. "One day, you shall regret this! I shall seek out the Old Ancestor to have a proper discussion!"

Having said that, he turned and departed.

Should he remain here any longer, he held no confidence in defeating the combined might of Hoàng Cẩm and Hoàng Bách Vũ. And if the Patriarch and the Elder Council members were to also make a move, he would undoubtedly be suppressed here today.

By then, even if he had a hundred mouths, he feared he still wouldn't be able to explain himself clearly.

"Do not flee!"

"Indeed, it is you!"

Hoàng Cẩm and Hoàng Bách Vũ spoke simultaneously.

Hoàng Cẩm certainly did not wish for Hoàng Quái Nhất to escape at this moment, for his flight would essentially confirm his culpability.

Moreover, after fleeing, Hoàng Quái Nhất would, with eighty or ninety percent certainty, henceforth betray the Hoang Family.

By then, the Hoang Family's losses would extend far beyond mere accumulations of countless ages.

There would also be the loss of a supreme existence, possessing top-tier combat prowess, one who was qualified to ascend to the Myriad Gods Temple at any given moment!

Hoàng Bách Vũ, on the other hand, thus concluded that Hoàng Quái Nhất had utilized a clone to defraud them of this astonishing fortune.

Thus, suppressing his wrath, he immediately acted, intending to detain Hoàng Quái Nhất.

However, Hoàng Quái Nhất had already made preparations, summoning forth a magic artifact. That artifact instantly tore open a colossal black hole in the void, whereupon Hoàng Quái Nhất's figure plunged inside, vanishing in an instant.

Hoàng Bách Vũ and Hoàng Cẩm were both utterly stunned on the spot.

They both stared at the direction where the black hole closed, speechless for a long time.

Outside, the Hoang Family Patriarch and the assembly of elders all gazed at the direction where the black hole had vanished, each utterly bewildered.

"Territory."

"Great Domain."

Hoàng Cẩm and Hoàng Bách Vũ exchanged glances, both discerning a similar grave expression in the other's eyes.

"To look upon this, it is indeed him," Hoàng Cẩm sighed.

"I told you it was him," Hoàng Bách Vũ remarked, as if a sense of profound anticlimax had washed over him, the furious glint in his eyes instantly vanishing without a trace.

Because both of them were somewhat startled.

No one had expected that Hoàng Quái Nhất would, without a sound or trace, possess a territory of a Great Domain!

A Great Domain territory... This was the standard allotment for a Deity!

It did not belong to the mortal planes, but purely to the deity themselves.

It was akin to a sealed world!

It was truly private property!

Great Domain territories varied in scale; some top-tier Upper Gods commanded territories even more colossal than certain mortal planes!

Within them resided over a hundred billion living beings!

Furthermore, within the vast expanse of such a territory, all living beings shared but one common faith!

That was the master of the Great Domain territory!

This power of faith was the very source that sustained a deity's eternal and imperishable existence.

And the ancestral spirit crystal was the item that allowed a deity to advance further, preserving their imperishable divine nature.

Unless in the direst of straits, no deity would ever cast their designs upon their own Great Domain territory.

If it truly came to that, then this deity would essentially be at the end of their rope, their power waning.

By then, even if they extracted all the energy from the entire Great Domain territory, it would not be able to sustain them for long.

Thus, almost the vast majority of deities, even in death, would not disturb their own Great Domain territory. As long as it endured, and as long as the beings upon it continued to worship that deity, then sooner or later, that very deity would once again manifest in this world.

Therefore, possessing a Great Domain territory was essentially equivalent to holding a ticket to enter the Gate of Eternal Life.

It was precisely for this reason that Hoàng Cẩm, Hoàng Bách Vũ, the Patriarch, and the assembly of Hoang Family elders displayed such expressions.

Astonishment, shock, envy, jealousy.

A myriad of emotions converged, rendering their expressions incomparably complex.

"Therefore, his reasoning for acting thus also makes sense," Hoàng Cẩm sighed.

"Indeed, without a whisper or a trace, he unveiled a Great Domain territory; from where he acquired such a domain, none can say... The crucial point is that he concealed it from us all," Hoàng Bách Vũ lamented with a sigh.

"For all these years, he never chose to enter seclusion, remaining exceptionally active; it is likely he was engaged in this very endeavor," Hoàng Cẩm stated softly. "He must have truly sought to acquire that drop of Creation Liquid. If he indeed succeeded, I fear both of us would be shrewdly maneuvered to our demise by him."

"Precisely. To covertly establish a Great Domain territory already bestows upon him the foundation to rank among the Myriad Gods Temple. If he were then to acquire something as miraculous as the Creation Liquid, the most wondrous substance between heaven and earth, why would he ever share it with us two?" Hoàng Bách Vũ's tone was frigid and despondent.

"This matter..." Hoàng Cẩm looked at Hoàng Bách Vũ.

"Do we still have a choice?" Hoàng Bách Vũ also looked at him.

"Accept it, then," Hoàng Cẩm sighed.

"Indeed, what if he truly ranks within the Myriad Gods Temple..." Hoàng Bách Vũ said, and suddenly a mouthful of fresh blood gushed from his mouth.

Overwhelmed with qi!

...

Within the Qi Family, there was utter disarray.

The mine, which they had concealed and kept secret for countless ages, had actually suffered such a terrifying attack!

Although the vast majority of miners within remained alive, the most precious minerals of the mine... had all been plundered!

Who had done this?

To ascertain the truth of this matter, the entire Qi Family, from top to bottom, operated with unprecedented efficiency.

Simultaneously, the entire Qi Family chose to seal its gates!

From the day that incident occurred, entry was permitted, but egress was forbidden.

This applied to everyone, without exception.

Even if a Qi Family Old Ancestor wished to leave, it was not permitted.

The matter quickly yielded some clues.

A junior miner, Vương Tiểu Tam, who should have been at work, was discovered in his own home, knocked unconscious and sealed. Upon awakening, the fellow knew nothing when interrogated.

Subsequently, it was discovered that a junior steward from the Qi Family had also vanished!

This missing junior steward instantly became the pivotal figure in the entire incident.

For although this junior steward's status was not particularly high, he was an individual who could freely enter and exit the family compound.

Furthermore, on ordinary days, he would frequently go out alone to connect or negotiate with various individuals outside.

And being an old hand within the family, though his standing was not lofty, he was widely recognized.

As such, the guards at the various checkpoints of the Qi Family would almost never inspect him too rigorously.

Clues had been found; the next necessary step was to continue the in-depth investigation.

According to the external guard stationed at the mine, there existed some enmity between Vương Tiểu Tam and the vanished Đổng Lão Bát.

"That Đổng Lão Bát was a quintessential scoundrel, always harboring some malicious designs upon Vương Tiểu Tam. You all have seen Vương Tiểu Tam—fair-skinned, with elegant brows and bright eyes, and a particularly gentle disposition, making him seem easily bullied. Đổng Lão Bát would frequently torment him. Yet, until now, Vương Tiểu Tam rarely dared to retaliate. Thus, I suspect someone knocked Vương Tiểu Tam unconscious and sealed him away, then assumed his likeness, entered the mine, and subsequently encountered Đổng Lão Bát."

The mine guard, trembling, presented his analysis to an assembly of high-ranking Qi Family figures: "Given Đổng Lão Bát's temperament, he undoubtedly would not have missed such an opportunity to torment him, thus a conflict arose between the two. The one impersonating Vương Tiểu Tam then slew Đổng Lão Bát."

A Qi Family elder nodded. "There is some merit to that assertion," he stated, "which also explains why only Đổng Lão Bát perished, while the other few individuals were merely rendered unconscious and had their memories purged."

Another Qi Family elder spoke: "Were everyone's memories truly purged? Issue the command... No, wait, I shall go myself. I do not fully trust the work of those individuals! I must personally verify the truth!"

Yet another elder interjected, "Is such a measure truly necessary? The examiner is a Talisman Master of the Saint Realm, possessing supremely potent spiritual power; it is impossible for him to err. All relevant memories have been thoroughly cleansed..."

The Qi Family elder who had just wanted to personally verify frowned slightly and said: "I am a Saint Realm Peak Talisman Master!"

Saying this, he turned and exited the door.

The assembled individuals, left with no alternative, could only follow behind this eccentric Saint Realm Peak Talisman Grandmaster, proceeding to the location where the miners were being held.

At this moment, the Qi Family elder who had already conducted the verification stepped forward, a bewildered expression upon his face. "Why have you all come?" he inquired.

"I wish to personally verify it myself," the Saint Realm Peak elder stated, direct and decisive.

This Talisman Master, who had only recently entered the Saint Realm, instantly felt a twinge of embarrassment, yet offered no rebuttal, simply nodding. "Very well, then, you may proceed," he assented.

The Saint Realm Peak Qi Family elder stood there, motionless, and had already begun.

A moment later, he slightly frowned, pointing at one of the people and saying: "This one..."

Everyone was momentarily startled; likely no one genuinely believed that this eccentric Talisman Grandmaster would truly uncover an issue.

The Saint Realm Talisman Master who had just conducted the initial examination also wore a look of astonishment. He somewhat incredulously proceeded to re-examine, and his countenance instantly became awkward.

He stammered: "This..."

"It is hardly your fault; the opponent's method of purging memories is exceedingly profound!" the Saint Realm Peak Qi Family Talisman Master elder offered in consolation. His own realm was vastly superior, making it unnecessary to harp on such a matter, much less to flaunt his prowess.

With the mine's essence entirely plundered and the family suffering grave losses, how could he harbor any other thoughts?

"You or I?" The Saint Realm Peak Talisman Master elder glanced at the other party.

"I will, I will!"

At such a time, one must certainly atone for one's misstep with meritorious service.

He could not claim he had simply been inattentive moments ago, for this matter, after all, concerned the family's vital interests.

Yet the opponent's methods were truly exceptionally profound; had it not been for the senior's reminder, he truly would have overlooked it.

In the next instant, this early Saint Realm Talisman Master elder expended all his accumulated resources, attempting to restore the memories of this miner that had not been entirely purged.

Concurrently, he could not cause any harm to this miner.

It wasn't that they possessed some altruistic spirit, but simply wished to uncover the truth.

A quarter of an hour, half an hour, an hour... Four hours passed.

When this early Saint Realm elder was already utterly exhausted, his face slightly pallid, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

Then, he waved his hand.

A highly indistinct image appeared before everyone.

It was an incomparably gigantic bat, flashing by in an instant.

The aforementioned guard, in a state of terror, exclaimed: "The perpetrator was truly that? No wonder I discovered nothing when I opened the gates..."

For a truly unparalleled reading experience, this rendition awaits your discernment.