A Will Eternal

“The Vile-Emperor approves…?” Bai Xiaochun thought, blinking a few times as his heart began to beat faster in his chest. “Poor kid. He doesn’t even know that the person he thinks is his father is actually an imposter…. His real father disapproved, but once the imposter took over, it was only natural for him to approve of such a harmful inclination….”

Although he felt bad for the Vile-Prince, he was now in absolutely no mood to participate in some sort of banquet.

Furthermore, he was now convinced that just about everyone in Vile-Emperor City was crazy. Not a single one seemed like an ordinary person. At the same time, he decided that nothing about the Vile-Prince’s speech just now made sense. After all, he didn’t want ideas like that to take root inside of him and cause unwanted changes to his psyche….

“These people are psychos!” Bai Xiaochun firmly refused the Vile-Prince’s offer again, and then, despite the fact that he knew it would not please him, flew up into the air, along with his two demigod subordinates.

Just as he was preparing to leave, he stopped and looked back at the main gate!

As he did, the aura of the mid Celestial Realm suddenly erupted out from that very spot, shooting out as if to oppose his departure.

An unsightly expression overtook his face, and his heart turned icy as he looked at a figure walking out of the darkness of the gate. There, dressed in a black robe, was… Daoist Heavenspan!

His face was cold and grim as he stared at Bai Xiaochun, and it was almost possible to hear the sound of thunder crackling when their gazes met.

“There’s something strange going on with Daoist Heavenspan. He's much stronger than the last time we met in the second immortal domain!”

Bai Xiaochun had made rapid progress because of the enormous good fortune he had come across. However, it was clear that Daoist Heavenspan had also encountered some unimaginable good fortune of his own. His cultivation base had risen rapidly, to the point where he was now catching up to Bai Xiaochun.

Were he not in Vile-Emperor City, Bai Xiaochun would have attacked Daoist Heavenspan without even thinking about it. But now, he could only do something like that if it was absolutely necessary.

Now that Daoist Heavenspan had arrived, the Vile-Prince flew up into the air, laughing.

“Ambassador Bai, there’s no need to be in such a rush. If you don’t want to make that trade, then fine, we won’t trade. Now that you’ve come all this way, though, you definitely have to enjoy some fine alcohol. I specifically invited you and Daoist Heavenspan here so that I could act as a mediator between the two of you.

“No matter what, the two of you are both from the Heavenspan Realm. There are no enmities that we can’t resolve if we try. Come come. Let’s drink together and put the past behind us. We cultivators pursue the eternal, that is the true great Dao!”

In response to the advice, Daoist Heavenspan clasped hands and bowed deeply at the waist.

“I’ll follow your every word and command, Vile-Prince.”

To see Daoist Heavenspan acting and speaking in this way caused Bai Xiaochun to frown. After all, Daoist Heavenspan was a celestial, and therefore, there didn’t seem to be any reason for him to act in such an ingratiating fashion.

Even if Daoist Heavenspan was a foreigner, it still didn’t make sense.

Furthermore, this didn’t seem at all the way that Daoist Heavenspan used to act. He had been the high and mighty Celestial at one time, but now he was acting completely differently. It was as if he had changed completely.

Looking at him, Bai Xiaochun slowly and forcefully said, “You gave up everything, and even treated your own flesh and blood with the ultimate cruelty, abandoning your own people, just to leave the world you lived in…. And now, Daoist Heavenspan, you are nothing more than a dog and a lackey. Are you happy?”

Daoist Heavenspan’s expression didn’t change as he looked up with cold eyes.

“I’d rather be a dog with freedom,” he said, “than waste away into death in that tomb of a world!” He spoke the words with utmost calmness, as though he had already pondered this point at length.

Daoist Heavenspan’s response only served to anger Bai Xiaochun more.

“Maybe you’re a dog with freedom,” he shot back, “but you watched with your own eyes as your people suffered in torment!!”

“It was survival of the fittest,” Daoist Heavenspan replied calmly, as if nothing so far had provoked even the slightest emotional reaction within him. “Perhaps for them, it was just the first step. Those who survived are suitable to keep living. Those who died simply faced a cultivation tribulation. For those who were buried in the process, perhaps it was good fortune for them to die with the world around them!”

“Well said!” the Vile-Prince declared, a look of praise on his face as he laughed loudly. “You couldn’t have said it better, Celestial Heavenspan. In the cultivation world, survival of the fittest is the most important thing. Ambassador Bai, what point is there in weeping for the weak? People are born, and they die. It’s as simple as that.” As the Vile-Prince chuckled, Daoist Heavenspan nodded in agreement. Looking at Bai Xiaochun, he smiled.

“Bai Xiaochun, you used to be as timid as a mouse, and scared out of your mind of dying. How come you’ve suddenly become so sentimental?”

Bai Xiaochun stared dead at Daoist Heavenspan for a long moment, seemingly struggling to control himself. Then he suddenly chuckled. Eyes filling with determination, he said, “You want to fight? Then let’s fight!”

Taking a step forward, he transformed into a series of afterimages that shot toward Daoist Heavenspan

As he neared, Daoist Heavenspan’s eyes narrowed, and he performed a double-handed incantation gesture. Instantly, ten Daogates appeared behind him, swirling into the form of a tempest that surged forth to meet Bai Xiaochun.

They moved with blinding speed, colliding in a massive explosion that sent shockwaves out in all directions.

The nearby devas and demigods were visibly shocked, and backed away. Even the Vile-Prince immediately fell back. After all, a battle between two celestials could flatten everything in the area. It was truly a shocking thing.

“What are you doing, Bai Xiaochun?!?!” the Vile-Prince shouted, clearly placing all the responsibility on Bai Xiaochun. However, once Bai Xiaochun committed to launching an attack, he didn’t care what anyone said or did. He followed through like lightning, and within the blink of an eye, he and Daoist Heavenspan had exchanged dozens of blows.

Blood sprayed out of Daoist Heavenspan’s mouth as he was sent tumbling backward, his face as white as a sheet, and yet, his eyes defiant. He had goaded Bai Xiaochun into attacking to get a sense of exactly how strong he actually was.

The answer he had received was not satisfying.

Even as he fell back, Bai Xiaochun accelerated, striking him again. Daoist Heavenspan once again found blood spraying out of his mouth as he was flung backward another 300 meters.

Just as Bai Xiaochun’s killing intent truly began to rage, streams of divine sense began to converge on the location. The celestials of Vile-Emperor City were preparing to interfere.

If it had been just them, it might not have been anything to worry about. But then a divine sense that surpassed any celestials appeared, something vile and domineering, something that could split apart the heavens. Instantly, the divine will grabbed Bai Xiaochun and pushed him back in completely unceremonious fashion.

Bai Xiaochun shivered as he staggered backward several dozen meters. At the same time, the voice of the Vile-Emperor rang out coldly in his ears.

“That’s enough!”

Daoist Heavenspan immediately bowed his head and said, “Yes, sir.”

As for Bai Xiaochun, he stood there for a moment with clenched jaw before nodding. Waving his sleeve, he turned and began to walk away.

However, after only walking a few steps, he stopped in place, looked over his shoulder and said, “How is Du Lingfei?”

Bai Xiaochun had been holding those words in his heart for a long time now. In the past, he hadn’t dared to ask them, mostly for fear of what the answer might be. But now, he didn’t hesitate.