Stranger Danger

“Who are you?” Ye Qing asked mentally with a wary expression. His demonic thought encompassed everything within several kilometers, but he wasn’t able to find anything. It was almost as if the voice had appeared in his heart out of nowhere.

“Come up, destined one…” The masculine voice continued.

“Come up? Up where?” Ye Qing asked.

“Come up… come up…” The man’s voice said.

From that point onward, the man repeated the two words again and again. Ye Qing was unable to pinpoint the origin of the voice either.

“Brother, did you… never mind.”

Ye Qing was about to ask Yi Pin if he heard the masculine voice, but when he turned around and saw that Yi Pin was completely absorbed in breathing in the celestial qi, he knew immediately that he hadn’t.

“Come up… destined one…”

Instead of disturbing Yi Pin, Ye Qing mulled over the man’s words. “He’s clearly referring to me when he said, ‘destined one’. ‘Come up’... is he telling me to go up the peak? Should I?”

There were two reasons. One, he was simply curious. Two, he thought that there might be a chance this mysterious man might know the exit or the way to leave the Kunlun Ruins.

Having made up his mind, Ye Qing left Yi Pin a message. Then, he flew up the jagged cliff and toward the mountaintop.

He did not bring Yi Pin with him for one simple reason: As knowledgeable and experienced as the old man was, he wasn’t very strong. Not only couldn’t he rely on Yi Pin during times of danger, he had to split his focus and watch out for him. In that case, he might as well leave him behind to devour the celestial qi.

The celestial mountain was tall, but it was harmless. As such, Ye Qing was able to reach the top without any trouble.

The first thing Ye Qing saw upon reaching the peak was a massive celestial palace.

The celestial palace was colorful and seemingly forged out of cloudy celestial qi. Glowing with profound light, it seemed to exude an infinite and eternal air of Dao. Expressions of the natural laws appeared from time to time as well.

“The Kunlun Divine Palace…”

Ye Qing naturally knew that name as soon as he saw the palace.

The next moment, a wisp of rainbow light spread out from the palace entrance. Once it reached Ye Qing, it transformed into a colorful path of light.

It was at this moment a celestial boy wearing a white robe and flying on a rainbow-colored auspicious cloud flew over from far.

The celestial boy wore a Taoist bun and wielded a horsetail whisk. He looked young, but he also looked handsome and divine. He did not look like he belonged in the world of mortals.

The celestial boy performed a jishou after reaching Ye Qing. He said, “Bai Yun greets you, Dao Friend.”

“Well met, senior celestial Bai Yun!” Ye Qing bowed in return. He looked calm on the outside, but he was ready for anything on the inside.

Although he couldn’t sense any danger or malice from the celestial boy, there was no reason to lower his guard either.

“Please, do not call me senior celestial. I am but a humble boy serving beneath the Imperial Lord of the Kunlun Divine Palace. Just call me Bai Yun,” The celestial boy replied.

“Very well, Friend Bai Yun.” Ye Qing still did not address the celestial boy directly. “Was it you who called me earlier, Friend Bai Yun?”

“No, it wasn’t,” Bai Yun answered. “It was the Imperial Lord who addressed you.”

“May I ask who the Imperial Lord is, Friend Bai Yun?” Ye Qing asked.

“The Imperial Lord is the ruler of Kunlun Ruins, the king of all celestials, and the sovereign of all people.”

Bai Yun declared, “This way please, Dao friend. The Imperial Lord is waiting for you!”

“Why would the Imperial Lord want anything to do with this junior?” Ye Qing asked cautiously.

“You are the destined one the Imperial Lord is waiting for. You will understand once you meet him.”

Bai Yun performed a jishou again. “Come with me.”

Ye Qing’s eyes flashed, but he did not say anything. He obediently followed Bai Yun toward the Kunlun Divine Palace.

After they arrived at the entrance, Bai Yun stopped in his tracks and clasped his hands together. “I have brought him, Imperial Lord.”

“Enter!”

A few breaths later, a grand, imposing voice came from within.

“The Imperial Lord has issued the invitation. Please enter, Dao Friend.”

Bai Yun stepped aside and gestured for Ye Qing to walk in.

“Thank you for leading the way, friend.” Ye Qing thanked Bai Yun before straightening his attire and stepping in.

As soon as Ye Qing entered the Kunlun Divine Palace, he was immediately greeted by an infinite expanse. He felt as if he was standing in the middle of the universe where space was infinite, and dazzling rivers of stars were everywhere.

“You have come, destined one!”

Before Ye Qing could mull on the scenery, the universe shook, and the stars shifted away from their original positions. Then, a celestial appeared before him.

The celestial wore a crown of sun and moon, hair that resembled a river of stars, and a celestial robe that looked like they were weaved from primal chaos. Seated on his throne with his feet planted firmly on the infinite stars, he looked imposing and divine to put it mildly.

Compared to him, Ye Qing might as well be an ant, no, a speck of dust.

For whatever reason, the celestial’s eyes were tightly shut as if he was asleep. Even so, Ye Qing could not help but feel reverent and fearful.

“Junior Joyless Ye greets the Imperial Lord.” Ye Qing saluted the celestial.

“No need for pleasantries.”

The celestial’s eyes remained shut, and his lips hadn’t so much as twitched a little. Despite this, Ye Qing could hear a grand voice in his ears. “You’re finally here. I have waited for you for a long, long time.”

“May I know why you’ve asked for me, Imperial Lord?” Ye Qing asked politely. Whatever the celestial’s motives might be, good or bad, it was never wrong to be polite.

“The world has changed, the age of chaos is nigh, and the spiritual qi is beginning to resurrect. The celestials, Buddhas, gods and demons will soon resurface… including my Kunlun Ruins.”

The celestial’s voice boomed, “You share a destiny with the Kunlun Ruins and me. You possess the potential to become a celestial and a great one.”

“Therefore, I wish to take you as my disciple and pass down my teachings to you. I wish for you to learn the celestial arts. When the age of chaos arrives, I want you to lead Kunlun and become the new leader of the celestials, and the new sovereign of the world. I wish for you to make Kunlun great again[1].”

“Er… this junior is overwhelmed!”

Ye Qing was thrown off guard by the shower of praise to say the least. He had always known that he was excellent, but the potential to become a celestial and a great one? Leader of the celestials and sovereign of the world? It was just too much.

“Do not be overwhelmed. Do not be afraid either. If I say you possess the potential, then you do. As the chosen one of the heavens, your fate is unparalleled. You are worthy of this heavy burden.”

The celestial said, “Such is your destiny whether you like it or not.”

“Thank you for your praise, but this junior truly does not think that he is worthy.”

Ye Qing pushed down his agitation and replied humbly, “I’m sure you can resurrect the glory of the Kunlun Ruins even without me, Imperial Lord.”

He did not know what kind of glory the Kunlun Ruins used to have, but just like politeness, a bit of flattery was never wrong!

“You should know that the Kunlun Ruins are corrupted by the Nine Nethers. Back then, I suffered great damage to resist it and is still recovering to this day. That is why I am slumbering right now. The day the age of chaos arrives is the day I die. Therefore, the only one left to bear the responsibility and command the celestials… is you,” said the celestial in an emotionless voice.

“If you’re slumbering now, then who am I talking to?” Ye Qing asked.

“A wisp of my divine thought. I had created it over a hundred years ago,” the celestial answered.

“Divine thought? Does that mean you divined that I would enter the Kunlun Ruins a hundred years ago, Imperial Lord?” Ye Qing exclaimed in astonishment.

“Such is the wonder that is the celestial arts of Kunlun. One may learn everything that happened in the past and the future.”

The celestial continued, “You will gain the same power once you have mastered my arts.”

1. Sorry not sorry kek. ☜