Chapter 112: The Prince of Zhenbei, the Compass

“Hmm?”

Hong Yun realized something was blocking his path.

Although he had already used his agility to leave the bounds of the Sunset Sect, for some unknown reason, he found himself trapped.

He focused his Judgment Eye and scanned the surroundings, noticing faint traces of calamity energy drifting in the air. He knew that whether it was a formation, a semi-Imperial artifact, or even an Imperial artifact, if they had ensnared him, there was no hesitation. He drew from his quiver the phoenix feather arrow marked with the character “One,” nocked it, and aimed in a direction.

“Hey, hey, hey! Wait!”

At that moment, a slightly surprised shout came from all directions, making it impossible to pinpoint its source.

Yet Hong Yun did not let this interruption change his plan. He tightened the bowstring one more turn and released his fingers.

Whoosh—

In the blink of an eye, everything before him vanished. He now stood upon an open plain, vastly changed.

Seeing the frustrated middle-aged man before him, who looked as if about to vomit blood, Hong Yun raised his hand and summoned back the phoenix feather arrow, placing it back in his quiver. Then, he retrieved the arrow marked with “Two.”

The middle-aged man was startled and immediately enveloped himself in a dense brownish aura. Under Hong Yun’s Judgment Eye, the calamity energy swirled around him.

“Can you at least hear me out before you act?”

Seeing Hong Yun readying his bow again, with something beginning to crack on his body and cold sweat dripping from his forehead, the man hastily activated all his weapons to shield himself and shouted,

“My father is the Human Emperor of the Treasure Vase Realm!”

Human Emperor?

Hong Yun raised an eyebrow. Although he didn’t lower his bow, he no longer aimed at the man.

Judging by the two Imperial defensive artifacts and seven or eight semi-Imperial ones surrounding him, his status was undeniable.

“What do you want from me?” Hong Yun’s tone was calm but restrained, suppressing the vitality within him. Earlier, he had absorbed half a calamity seed from the Sunset Sect, breaking the delicate balance he had maintained, and the energy was now flooding his body.

In this state, being stopped by someone naturally put him in a foul mood.

Seeing Hong Yun’s grim expression, the man withdrew his earlier boast and cleared his throat twice.

“Brother, your earlier commotion was a bit too loud.”

He thought for a moment, then took out a small compass from his bosom and threw it to Hong Yun.

“I am Ji Zhange, the Northern Border King here. You stirred up noise beyond the Butterfly Transformation’s peak level. Normally, you’d be trapped and have to wait for my father, the Emperor, to come.

But since you broke through my Imperial artifact’s prison—showing power comparable to an Emperor—you can go see him directly.”

As he spoke, he watched Hong Yun catch the compass and examined him closely. He sighed in relief and muttered,

“Who knows what’s going on lately? First, that madman with eight arms, the Golden Ape, Yue Lei, came and slew one of my clansmen—though he deserved it... Then you stirred up such a ruckus. Truly troublesome.”

“You should count yourself lucky you didn’t attack me outright.”

Hong Yun snorted coldly. The calamity energy inside him was gradually stabilizing. Upon touching the compass, he immediately understood its purpose and pocketed it. He then tightened his bowstring again, channeling the uncontrollable calamity energy into it.

“If you had attacked me, this arrow would have already pierced a hole in you.”

“Attack? Am I crazy?” Ji Zhange chuckled twice, sensing something amiss, then quickly adopted a serious expression.

“By the way, calling you Brother Zhao should be correct.

You might not know, I, Ji Zhange, Northern Border King, though only a semi-Emperor, have never relied on force to subdue others. I hold no offensive weapons.

When I encounter cultivators weaker than me who are trapped in formations, I just bring them to the Great Prison. The methods there are harsh—even Butterfly Transformation cultivators shed a layer of skin.

If they’re too strong, just with my treasures, few in the world can break through my defenses. Then I call my father. Except for that old... erm, the Ape Emperor of the Demon Tribe, everyone else gets a beating.”

Hong Yun observed his expression, puzzled by such a peculiar person. He stared a few more moments until cold sweat began forming again on Ji Zhange’s forehead, then withdrew his gaze.

“Is there a deadline for paying respects to the Human Emperor? I have urgent matters to attend to now.”

This...

Ji Zhange looked at the phoenix feather arrow in his hand, then at his own Imperial artifact, which was torn but slowly healing, and suddenly became alert.

“Urgency isn’t the issue, but Brother Zhao should hurry. My father’s temper isn’t as easygoing as mine. You’ve caused quite a stir lately. Coincidentally, the Southern Border King is tied up with some matters, or else he’d surely have come to challenge you.”

Hong Yun could sense the tone implying calculation.

He nodded slightly in acknowledgment, sensing an unseen gaze upon him. After some thought, he turned westward and vanished.

Whoever that was—probably the Human Emperor—must have a way to observe the human realm from afar. Though not every small event, the major movements of cultivators like him couldn’t escape detection.

“Hey... Brother Zhao, won’t you come to my manor for a drink?”

Watching Hong Yun’s figure disappear, Ji Zhange looked around, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and after nearly an hour, shuffled away.

Even as he left, he was surrounded by one Imperial artifact and two semi-Imperial ones, clearly extremely cautious.

...

Hong Yun traveled westward, feeling the formations at the human border. He did not linger but headed straight toward the demon realm.

Only after passing through the Sun and Moon Gorge did the sensation of being watched vanish, allowing his tense nerves to relax somewhat.

He guessed right—the Human Emperor must have a means to monitor the human realm’s movements from a distance. Though not every whisper of wind, the net was cast wide to catch the big fish. For cultivators like him, any disturbance would reveal their tracks.

He found a desolate, uninhabited place, carved out a cave refuge with a wave of his hand, entered, and began to suppress the calamity energy within.

The calamity seeds he had obtained had once reached a balance of mutual generation and restriction, but now that balance was broken. Without attempting to control it, a major disaster might ensue.

Even with his panel guiding the energy, it would still be unpleasant if left unchecked.

Resolving the root cause early would grant him a chance to breathe easier.

As for the phoenix feather arrows... Judging by the doubling of calamity energy with the second bow, even if he poured it all into the third shot, the consumption would be less than five percent.

When to meet the Human Emperor of the Treasure Vase Realm... that would have to wait until everything was ready.