Chapter 111: One Arrow, Secured

At dawn, accompanied by the freshness of the world, Hong Yun departed from that place, heading toward his intended destination.

Looking back at the lonely figure of Ying Yue from afar, he understood in his heart: this was perhaps the best outcome for both of them. This place was not the Primordial World, and his own power here was limited. Had he been in the Primordial World, he would only need to expand his cultivation to scan the nine heavens and ten earths; even if he could not resurrect someone, he could retrieve their true spirit and place it into a new physical body to live again. Even if the true spirit were extinguished, he could use his own memories to recreate an invitation to the moon.

But not here. Although the boundaries of his cultivation had become blurred—and a cultivator at the Butterfly Transformation stage wielding an Imperial Artifact of the Feather-Changing stage would be no match for him—this world lacked the possibility of resurrection. Furthermore, there were many traces here that were unknowable and fraught with danger. Once a boundary was crossed, the trouble would be immeasurable.

After leaving the canyon, he did not interfere further. He simply set up a simple maze formation and then departed. As he traveled further away, he soared into the sky, opening his "Eyes of Tribulation Perception," and rushed toward the direction that held a strong attraction for him. He had a premonition that what he sought was surely there.

...

The sun was alarming, and the valley was scorching. As Hong Yun approached the vicinity, he could feel waves of heat. This was the Sunset Sect, the guardian of the Sun-Moon Canyon, even more powerful than the current Moon-Surging Sect! They did not bother to conceal themselves, standing tall and proud, allowing both humans and demons who arrived here to gaze upon them from afar.

He pondered for a moment, tucked Luan Seventeen—who had been following him—into his sleeve, and then produced a weapon. It was a bow and arrow. The bow was crafted from the skeleton of a Demon Emperor, with strings made from the tendons of an unknown demonic beast. There were three arrows, their double-sided red glow shimmering with the aura of the Luan Emperor. This bow, known as "Emperor Slayer," had been used by the Luan Emperor to slay a Demon Emperor, and the number of human and demon "Half-Emperors" who had fallen to it exceeded the count of one's fingers. Moreover, a great demon king of the Luan tribe at the peak of the Feather-Changing stage had once forced a Demon Emperor to retreat in serious injury with just two shots.

This was the first Imperial Weapon of the Luan bird tribe, forged with painstaking effort. The first generation Luan Emperor had spent his entire life refining only the three Luan Emperor feathers; the strength of each feather was contained within the Emperor Slayer bow, causing its power to multiply.

Standing in the distance, he held the Emperor Slayer bow horizontally before him. The aura radiating from it alone caused the entire Sunset Sect to begin to churn. As layers of barriers intensified, three Butterfly Transformation cultivators finally appeared within the shield. Seeing the weapon in front of Hong Yun, their expressions turned grim. Clearly, they recognized this blade. Soon, five more Butterfly Transformation cultivators appeared on the five sides of the Sunset Sect, looking toward him with eyes filled with only one emotion: dread.

The leader, seeing that Hong Yun remained unmoved, understood the reason for the day's events, though he could not fathom Hong Yun's purpose. The Moon-Surging Sect and the Sunset Sect, while having fewer public dealings, still maintained teleportation arrays; they had already learned most of what had transpired. If it were truly to slaughter the two Butterfly Transformation cultivators of their sect, according to their reports, there was no possibility of them returning alive.

Unable to discern the reason and relying on the protection of the barriers, he could not afford to lose face. "I am Yun Ri, the Great Supreme Elder of the Sunset Sect. Your Excellency..."

"I have come to your Sunset Sect to take something."

Hong Yun did not waste words. He casually took a Luan Emperor feather arrow and nocked it onto the bow. "If you are willing to give it, I will take the item and leave, and the grievances between us will be wiped clean. But if you are unwilling, please receive my three arrows. If you can withstand them, I will naturally retreat and never mention this request again."

Before the man at the front could respond, a Supreme Elder behind him, enraged—believing that his comrades who had returned in such a sorry state were exaggerating—shouted, "Do not be too arrogant! My Sunset Sect has produced three Emperors and over a dozen Half-Emperors; do you think we fear you alone? Fire away! I want to see how you intend to break this sect-protecting formation with our combined strength!"

"I never expected that there would be people who actively seek to be abused."

Seeing the man at the front open his mouth as if to say something, then shake his head with a bitter smile, Hong Yun did not hesitate. He drew the bow and nocked the arrow. At that moment, he felt the bow and arrow in his hands ignore the baleful aura on his own Soaring Cloud Wings, instead showing a deep craving for the "Tribulation Qi" on his body.

So, the Emperor Slayer bow needs to be triggered by Tribulation Qi... Let's see how much you can swallow.

A spark of interest ignited in Hong Yun's heart. He allowed the Tribulation Qi within his body to flow into the Emperor Slayer. The bow was suddenly suffused with killing intent, and waves of red light spilled out. A tiny vortex formed at the tip of the Luan Emperor feather arrow; even the slightest movement stirred up a tremendous momentum.

When the bow stopped absorbing, he realized it hadn't consumed much of his own baleful energy. Has it reached its limit?

A look of anticipation flashed in Hong Yun's eyes, and he twisted the bowstring once more. Watching as the eight pillars of light from the five directions and the center locked the Sunset Sect's barrier in place, he fired without hesitation.

*Whoosh—*

There was no sound. The formation that had been holding firm was torn apart by a single arrow. The Luan Emperor feather arrow, its momentum unchecked, pierced through the foundations of the Sunset Sect and shot into the ground, triggering an earth-shattering tremor. The Imperial Artifacts and Half-Imperial Artifacts in the hands of the Butterfly Transformation cultivators, linked to the barrier, were instantly severed. Their expressions changed drastically as they spat blood and were sent flying backward, embedded deep into the stone walls of the mountains.

A moment later, the Great Supreme Elder of the Sunset Sect escaped. Looking at the devastation, he stared at Hong Yun in disbelief. Such power made him feel as if he were facing an Emperor himself! He, too, possessed an Imperial Artifact, but even with his cultivation at the peak of the late Butterfly Transformation stage, he could not have broken a barrier reinforced by multiple Imperial and Half-Imperial Artifacts!

"Cough, cough, cough..."

He coughed up another mouthful of blood, staining his robes. Seeing the smile still lingering on Hong Yun’s face, a chill ran through his heart. "Take whatever you want, Your Excellency. Today, the Sunset Sect admits defeat!"

"Since you say so, I shall not be modest."

Hong Yun gave a light chuckle, lowered his form, and stood upon the ruins of the Sunset Sect. He released his Tribulation Qi, responding to the attraction emanating from below. A moment later, a crystalline green glow rose from the ground and fused into Hong Yun's body.

Seeing that his goal was achieved, he said nothing more. He bowed slightly to the grim-faced Supreme Elder Yun Ri, and the Luan Emperor feather arrow flew back into the quiver on his back. As a breeze swept by, his figure vanished.