Otherworldly Desert Dust

"Stop, this place belongs to the Holy Sect, don't you outsiders even know this basic rule!" a man clad in Bear Teng Armor blocked the path of the three individuals.

"Lord Bright Venerable, ahead lies the Yun Mansion of Cai Lan, I am Cai Lan's father, Cai Huang. I have been on a mission for the Holy Sect for many years and have encountered an accident..." Cai Huang began to explain.

Suddenly, the gaze of the man in Bear Teng Armor flickered like lightning. His muscular body shimmered with dark golden arcs, and he stared coldly at Cai Huang, interrogating, "What did you just say?"

"I am Cai Lan's father."

"Silence, I have been here for years and have never heard of the Qilin Saint having any relatives. Just for those two phrases, I could annihilate you completely!" the man in Bear Teng Armor roared angrily.

Overcome with rage, his expression bore a murderous intent. He raised his palm, and in an instant, a million arcs of thunder gathered from the clouds all around...

"Lord Bright Venerable, please calm your anger. I am a member of the Cai family, and this is my Totem Blood Pattern," Cai Huang immediately kneeled halfway and displayed his identity symbol.

"Even so, you cannot escape death, which is the greatest disrespect to the Qilin Saint!" Bear Teng Ming Venerable did not say more but continued to summon the terrifying Holy Thunder, intending to execute all three on the spot.

Wu Hen could already feel the intense killing intent from the other side.

The Totem Sacred Sect, seemingly magnificent as the divine clan of Heaven, was actually brutal by nature, prone to annihilate at a disagreement, making it difficult to feel much affection, however splendid and powerful.

He decisively reached out his hand, firmly grasping the robust wrist of the opponent, bear-like in size.

From Wu Hen's palm, Silver Holy Breath funneled into the opponent's wrist, creating a bone-chilling sensation and instantly sealing off the Holy Thunder momentum of the Bear Teng Ming Venerable in front of him, stopping his murderous intent abruptly.

"Lord Bright Venerable, whether what we say is true or false, please go and inform her. If my sister provides you with a precise response, you can then come back and execute us; isn't that better than acting like a ruffian butcher?" Wu Hen said.

Bear Teng Ming Venerable swiftly backed away, looking at Wu Hen with astonishment, clearly not expecting this seemingly decorative man to have substantial strength.

"Heh, over the years, expecting vague familial connections, there have been nearly a thousand if not eight hundred who came seeking refuge under Qilin Saint, half of them scared away by me, another two or three hundred killed, the rest are like you, likely having some kinship," said Bear Teng Ming Venerable, his demeanor calming down, his tone turning cold and detached.

"Is that so? Then, Lord Bright Venerable need not worry, we genuinely are direct relatives," Wu Hen stated.

"I've only heard Qilin Saint mention having a brother, can't remember the name, if there's one who resorts to seeking refuge, he can be taken in, no need to inform about others. What's your name again?" Bear Teng Ming Venerable asked.

"Cai Ting," Wu Hen said.

"Oh, right, that's the name," Bear Teng Ming Venerable nodded, "Go inside then, Qilin Saint doesn't like crowds, we all can only move around this perimeter..."

"Thank you." Wu Hen bowed in gratitude.

Bear Teng Ming Venerable no longer made things difficult, and the three proceeded along the Cloud Bridge toward the Qingjing Palace inside the Yun Mansion.

The purity of Yun Jie was sanctified like sacred snow, surpassing any garden landscape in its unpredictable purity. After walking past a rugged cloud wall resembling white jade coral, the trio caught sight of a Cloud Palace guarded by Holy Beasts.

There were few people inside, only a few servants could be seen, giving a very deserted and silent feel.

Wu Hen and Cai Huang were alright, both having a clear purpose.

They came to seek support and also blood.

Cai Ni was somewhat nervous; she had never met her elder sister before, hearing only some of her legendary tales in her younger years. She admired her sister's strength and independence but was unsure how to interact.

"You stay behind."

Suddenly, from inside the fog screen at the front of the Cloud Palace, a woman's voice emerged.

The woman's voice was extremely cold, not even a hint of tone or rhythm in those brief three words.

"Me?" At that moment, Wu Hen stood among them, uncertain why, but he could sense her intentions from her wording.

"They, out," the voice commanded again, brooking no resistance.

Surprise filled the faces of Cai Huang and Cai Ni as they incredulously looked towards the fog screen.

Cai Huang, despite considering various possibilities such as being rejected by Cai Lan, never thought they wouldn't even get to see her face.

"Is it my elder sister?" Wu Hen asked tentatively.

There was no response.

However, it was clear that Bear Teng Ming Venerable's previous outburst was audible to the master of this Cloud Palace; at this realm, they could know of every movement within miles.

"We encountered the High-dimensional Insect Clan at Red Port, it was fraught with danger, and we supported each other through thistles and thorns to survive this far. This Cang Chu Divine Realm is filled with formidable beings. We really have no other place to go and thought of seeking refuge with my sister. If she does not wish to take us in, that's also alright..." Wu Hen also quickly played to his strengths by speaking empathetically.

"You may stay," the woman in the fog screen said tersely.

"That's not quite proper, although I am not entirely aware of what dishonorable acts my master has done in the past, on this journey, he has taken good care of us siblings, and now he's old and injured, no longer suitable for external ventures or cultivation... If my master has made any mistakes in the past, I will apologize on his behalf; he has changed a lot," Wu Hen spoke.

Leaving behind Cai Huang and Cai Ni was out of the question.

Cai Huang, that Old Deng, wasn't a good person either.

He would definitely report himself if he intended to grab all the gains.

"Zuo Qilin."

The woman called out faintly.

At the same time, the Shanhu sculpture standing guard at the Cloud Palace miraculously awoke. It opened its eyes, which were as penetrating as cold frost under the moonlight—extremely chilling!

"Eat them." The woman issued the order once again.

Cai Huang, Cai Ni, and Wu Hen all heard these words and doubted their own ears.

However, the Qilin Beast was already advancing towards the three of them. With the face of the Lion Emperor, the body of the Divine Deer, Dragon Beard whiskers, and a Thunder Whip Tail... This Qilin Beast was a genuine Mythical Species with pure blood, so majestic and imposing that even in the Scroll Realm, Wu Hen had never encountered such a formidable Qilin.

Clearly, the woman's command was not to scare the three of them.

The Qilin Beast opened its mouth and bit towards Cai Ni, the one with the most delicate flesh. Its biting force caused a strange sinking around, and its fangs, like sharp mountain peaks, suddenly pierced through the fog, rendering the lower cultivated Cai Ni completely immobile!

Wu Hen hurriedly grabbed Cai Ni, pulling her out from the clenching force of the Qilin.

Despite this, a large chunk of flesh was still gouged from Cai Ni's arm, her bright red blood dyeing her slender arm red!

"What are you doing!!" Wu Hen accused angrily.

The woman inside the fog screen said no more, but he could feel her cold eyes watching the scene without a flicker of emotion.

That Qilin Beast was formidable, belonging to the strongest tier of Mythical Species even within the Scroll Realm. When it charged again, Wu Hen immediately felt an overwhelming pressure, like a tsunami.

This time, the Qilin Beast pounced towards the bothersome Wu Hen.

Wu Hen had no choice but to gather his momentum into his fists, using the Divine Fist he had comprehended in Cangxia to combat this terrifying Qilin Beast.

The Cangxia Fist thundered forth, the overlapping shadows of mountains crushing towards the Qilin Beast.

But the Qilin Beast was exceptionally ferocious, capable of crunching even mountain shadows with a single bite.

After reaching Seventh-rank Life, all of Wu Hen's abilities had transformed, and the power of his Cangxia Fist was enough to make even beings of the Hua Chen Realm step back...

However, the punch only caused the Qilin Beast to slide back half a body's length. After adjusting slightly, it pounced again, its hooves hiding some mysterious prowess, seemingly capable of trampling out a fissure like Heaven!

The three were instantly trapped in this fissure from Heaven, and as they looked up, they saw a hoof larger than the sky itself crashing down like the sky collapsing.

Cai Ni fainted on the spot, about to be crushed into mush in the next second.

Cai Huang was even locked up, his entire body's channels and breaths sealed, unable to resist.

Wu Hen, however, was not so suppressed that he couldn't fight back. He took a deep breath and instantly gathered the golden Holy Breath and silver Holy Breath within his body, applying all the abilities he had learned from the Scroll Realm with his left hand as palm and right hand as fist.

The Cangxia Fist! Avalanche Palm!

Both forces reached their peak, gold as the mountain motion and silver as the avalanche, colliding with the descending heavenly hoof!

"Voom!!!!"

A bizarre wave rolled up within the Cloud Holy Country, blowing away the thick clouds and caverns within a ten-mile radius, forming a clear jade dome with not a wisp of cloud.

Inside this dome, a majestic Qilin Beast was being blown back towards the Cloud Palace. It seemed about to smash the entire Yushan Mansion into debris, when the woman in the fog screen finally made a move. With a flick of her flower-like fingers, she formed a Zone of Stillness.

This Zone of Stillness could suspend all energy and matter, including the Qilin Beast that Wu Hen had repelled with his punches and palms!

The Qilin Beast, like a dog falling into a pond, clumsily climbed out from the Zone of Stillness. It didn't dare bare its teeth at its master, but directed all its ferociousness at Wu Hen.

"Where did your bizarre Holy Breath come from?" the woman finally spoke again.

"I have nothing to disclose." Wu Hen, too, was angered, and today he wanted to see just how strong this cold-hearted Second Sister really was.

Just siccing a beast on people without a second thought!

Wu Hen admitted that what Cai Huang had said earlier had made him somewhat hopeful about the higher echelons of the Holy Sect, but recalling the Holy Sect's modus operandi, he should have realized that even his widely famous Second Sister Cai Lan in the Holy State was likely to be a ruthless character!

Way too cold-blooded!

And this Second Sister Cai Lan was definitely not just bluffing or testing!

The Qilin Beast's strength was extremely formidable, using its full force in its bites. Had he not hidden his own strength, with Cai Huang and Cai Ni's cultivation, Cai Ni, such a lively young girl, would have been crushed and chewed up at the Qilin Beast's first attack!

"Cai Lan... Cai Lan... Your brother has comprehended the Abnormal Element, a rare talent for Holy Cultivation, and it was for this reason that I traveled thousands of miles to bring him to you, potentially useful for your future conquests in the Cang Chu Divine Realm. Please be magnanimous and spare our lives!" Realizing the opportunity had come, Cai Huang immediately dropped to his knees with a thud, pleading.