Lu Zhou asked, “How did you know the Heaven Suppressing Pestle in the Great Abyss Land is no longer there?”

“This…” Yan Guichen hesitated.

“Speak.”

“The cult master has a rather good relationship with the Great Abyss Land’s Feather tribe. Emperor Yu personally told me that the Heaven Suppressing Pestle had been given away,” Yan Guichen replied honestly, “I didn’t expect it to be in your possession.”

“Emperor Yu didn’t tell you?” Lu Zhou asked.

Yan Guichen was startled. Then, he said hastily, “No! If he had told me it’s with you, I wouldn’t dare to have such devious and covetous thoughts even if you beat me to death!”

Emperor Yu had lived for tens of thousands of years. After fighting with Lu Zhou briefly, how could he not sense that something was amiss? Why did he hide this matter? Why did he give the Heaven Suppressing Pestle away so easily?

Lu Zhou said, “You said earlier that the Sacred Temple is the mastermind behind the rumors of the ten celestial stars. Why does Shang Zhang think it’s the work of the congregation?”

“Emperor Shang Zhang has tens of thousands of people to protect. Of course, he wouldn’t easily accuse the Sacred Temple. In fact, he knows this better than anyone else,” Yan Guichen explained, “He’s the only divine emperor left in the ten halls. I believe he’s the most afraid among everyone in the ten halls.”

Jiang Aijian nodded and said, “I agree. Emperor Shang Zhang was the most active among everyone in the ten halls when fighting for the owners of the Great Void Seeds. Now that Tu Wei died, it might be his turn in the future.”

“How wise,” Yan Guichen said flatteringly. Inwardly, he thought to himself, ‘Isn’t he the Commander of Tu Wei Hall? Why does he speak so carelessly about the Hall Master of Tu Wei Hall?”

“Have you been to the abyss in the Great Abyss Land?” Lu Zhou asked.

Yan Guichen nodded. “Yes. That’s where I found your painting. As for the Heavenly Dao Flag, I found it near Grand Mystic Mountain.”

Lu Zhou asked, “And you found them through the cult master’s connections?”

Yan Guichen nodded.

“What else do you know about me? Tell me,” Lu Zhou asked.

Yan Guichen inhaled deeply. The fear and panic in his heart were mostly gone. He said, “I know that you fought many powerhouses in the Great Void. In fact, one of the fights formed the Cloud Domain. Initially, there was no sunlight in the Great Abyss Land. Due to a fierce fight, holes were created, allowing the sun to shine down on the Great Abyss Land.”

“During those years, the Great Abyss Land was also riddled with holes. It looked like hell on earth. Later on, you… you fell into the abyss there and disappeared. Many places were sealed by the Sacred Temple after that. Places like Grand Mystic Mountain were declared forbidden zones. Outsiders have no chance of getting close. If not for the cult master, we wouldn’t have been able to even get close to the Great Abyss Land.”

“After so many years of research, we finally found a way to break the shackles.”

Yan Guichen stopped talking.

Jiang Aijian said with a smile, “By absorbing the power in the abyss, right?”

Yan Guichen looked at Jiang Aijian in surprise before he looked at the black-clad cultivator standing nearby.

Jiang Aijian said, “My knowledge isn’t inferior to yours. On the contrary, it surpasses yours.”

“I’d like to hear more,” Yan Guichen said, feeling slightly curious.

Jiang Aijian said, “Humans live on earth, and the earth gives birth to all things. The law of conservation dictates that everything has a source and a destination. When a person dies, he, along with his power, returns to the earth. When water from the river evaporates, it’ll turn into rain before it returns to the river again. The cycle is endless. People die, and people are born. A new generation will continue to live on earth, growing through the soil and water. Cultivators are no exception.”

“In the golden lotus domain, the limit was eight leaves because cultivators didn’t have enough years in their lifespan. Then, there was also the black lotus domain that tried to monopolize the resources. All cultivators defy heaven by risking their lives and cultivating. The golden lotus cultivators took the risk and severed their lotuses to break the limit. After severing the lotus, the lotus will return to the earth and the abyss.”

Lu Zhou, Yan Guichen, and the other two cult leaders were surprised by these words.

Yan Guichen asked, “Does this mean that golden lotus cultivators are no longer bound by the shackles?”

Jiang Aijian said, “No. Severing the lotus only allowed cultivators to sprout more than eight leaves and continue to cultivate. However, it doesn’t grant eternal lives. However, in the future, the other domains, the Unknown Land, even the Great Void will form a new world with the golden lotus domain in the center…”

“…”

Jiang Aijian looked at Lu Zhou and said, “He told me all this. I don’t have so much time to study these things…”

Zhu Honggong gave Jiang Aijian a thumbs-up and made muffled noises. No one knew what he was trying to say.

“If you have any more questions, you can ask him in the future,” Jiang Aijian said.

“Commander Qi Sheng, this person you speak of knows more about the Unholy One’s painting than I do. Such a talent… Who is he? Where is he now?” Yan Guichen asked.

“What do you think?” Jiang Aijian rolled his eyes.

At this moment, Yan Guichen recalled Zhu Honggong’s earlier words about his Seventh Senior Brother. Realization dawned on him after that.

Lu Zhou nodded and said, “Zhou Cheng, Chu Lian, Yan Guichen. Since you believe in me, I’ll spare your lives.”

As though they had been granted amnesty, the trio fell to their knees immediately and expressed their gratitude.

“Thank you, Lord Unholy One! Thank you!”

The other members of the Nihilist Congregation followed suit and fell to their knees as well.

Yan Guicheng let out a long sigh of relief. His body finally relaxed. His back was still drenched in cold sweat. Although he was a cultivator, he still could not help the physiological reaction.

“However…” Lu Zhou looked at the three cult leaders and continued to say, “Although I’ll spare your lives, you’ll still have to be punished.”