Qin Renhuang just became an immortal, and you told me this is the prehistoric time

"Then, young friend Ying Xuan, in your opinion, what would satisfy you enough to leave Beidou, or at least... stop interfering in the remaining forbidden zones? We have lived for countless years; perhaps some worldly possessions are worthy of your attention?"

This old man in black robes was clearly more adaptable than the previous two, and he tried to lure them with benefits.

Upon hearing this, Ying Xuan finally revealed a rather "sincere" smile. He clapped his hands, as if he had been waiting for these words.

“This fellow Daoist is indeed a wise person.”

Ying Xuan smiled, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

"What I seek is actually quite simple. I wish to become an immortal, but my accumulation is still shallow and my foundation is insufficient. I need... a vast amount of cultivation manuals of various systems and directions for reference and verification; I need... enough and good cultivation resources to solidify my foundation and make up for the depletion."

He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sweeping over all the Supreme Illusions. His tone remained smiling, but the threat within it was like a drawn sword, gleaming with cold light.

"Since you all... are so 'concerned' about me, even going so far as to collectively appear to 'retain' me, then I cannot refuse your 'kind intentions'."

He held up two fingers and said slowly.

"Two choices. First, you may all leave now, and I will go to the other forbidden areas to 'visit' them and personally 'retrieve' what I need. Second..."

Ying Xuan's smile widened, revealing two rows of white teeth that looked somewhat sinister in the sunlight.

"Each of you shall send someone to the location I have designated, containing all the cultivation techniques, ancient texts, and secret manuals of the Sendai Secret Realm and above that you have collected in your respective forbidden areas."

He leaned forward slightly, his gaze pressing down on him with an almost tangible intensity.

"Well? I've given you this 'opportunity.' Do you choose to let me personally 'visit' you, making things ugly for everyone, and even following in the footsteps of the Undying Mountain... or do you spend money to avoid trouble, gain temporary peace, and continue to wait for your illusory path to immortality?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the dozens of Supreme Illusions instantly turned extremely ugly! Some of them even experienced violent fluctuations in their auras, causing the surrounding void to distort and crack, clearly indicating that they were extremely angry!
This is not negotiation; it is blatant and undisguised threat and extortion! And it's a collective extortion against all the remaining restricted areas controlled by BeiDou!
Asking them to hand over their most treasured cultivation techniques and half of their top-tier resources? This is worse than digging up their ancestral graves! Cultivation techniques are the core of their lineage, and resources are the foundation of their survival! Giving these away is like cutting off their own arms; how will they compete on the path to immortality in the future?
But...not to pay?
Looking down at the enormous, still steaming Undying Mountain pit, thinking of the tragic end of the Stone Emperor and the Eternal Heavenly Venerable, and the terrifying formation that covered thousands of miles, isolated heaven and earth, and could trap and kill even the supreme beings... no lord of any forbidden zone was confident that their lair was more fortified than Undying Mountain, or that their methods could easily defeat the Stone Emperor and the Eternal Heavenly Venerable working together.

In particular, Ying Xuan is clearly an unpredictable, ruthless, and strangely powerful anomaly! He is truly capable of attacking every restricted area one by one!

Dozens of supreme phantoms remained silent, their mental exchanges becoming unusually frequent and intense. The air was thick with a sense of oppression, anger, frustration, weighing of options, and a hint of barely concealed... apprehension and fear.

Ying Xuan didn't urge him, but stood there leisurely, toying with the two dimly lit Supreme Weapons in his hands, as if waiting for a good show to begin. The sunlight shone on him, and against the backdrop of the huge pit below, his figure appeared incredibly aloof, and incredibly... chilling.

The dozens of supreme phantoms, radiating a terrifying aura of imperial power, fell into a deathly silence after hearing Ying Xuan's undisguised threats and blackmail. Only those icy thoughts collided and communicated wildly in the void.

They understood.

This visitor from another world named Ying Xuan didn't care about the life or death of the Beidou human race, nor did he care about the majesty of the forbidden zone of life.

He was like a hungry wolf that had broken into a sheepfold, with only tangible "meat" in his eyes—cultivation manuals and resources.

While his destruction of the Undying Mountain was partly due to his deal with Li Ruoyu, his primary motivation was plunder. And now, he's setting his sights on all the forbidden zones.

How frustrating! Utterly frustrating!

Who are they? They once looked down upon an era, unparalleled in the universe, worshipped by all! Even if they severed their own flesh and slept in the forbidden zone, they were still predators standing at the pinnacle of this world, waiting for the path to immortality to open! When have they ever been threatened so openly, haggled over like street vendors, or even forced to hand over their most treasured possessions?

Amidst the phantoms, killing intent surged and boiled like molten lava. If looks could kill, Ying Xuan would have been torn to pieces a million times over.

They secretly made the most vicious vows in their hearts.

If I have the chance in the future, I will definitely tear this brat's soul out of his body, grind him to pieces, and completely wipe out the world he lives in!
However, anger and murderous intent cannot change the cold reality.

The corpses of the Stone Emperor and the Celestial Venerable of Longevity were not yet cold, and the huge pit at the foot of the Undying Mountain silently testified to the terror and lawlessness of the people before them.

That eerie formation, which covered thousands of miles and isolated heaven and earth, was like an invisible mountain, pressing down on the hearts of every lord of the forbidden zone.

They couldn't be sure if their forbidden area could withstand the refinement of this formation, or what their chances of winning would be if they faced this person.
More importantly, they severed themselves to await the opening of that elusive yet potentially attainable path to immortality. Until then, any unnecessary losses were undesirable.

In particular, battles that could lead to a severe depletion of their immortal essence or even premature death are things they absolutely must avoid! Fighting to the death with Ying Xuan, even if they win, might result in severe damage to their vital energy and the loss of their immortal destiny; if they lose, it means death and the annihilation of their cultivation, vanishing into nothingness for eternity!
Weighing the pros and cons... it seems there is no choice.

Finally, the first to speak, the middle-aged man with a face as black as iron, Supreme Phantom, let out a low roar like a wounded beast, breaking the deathly silence.

"...Alright! Cultivation manuals, cultivation resources...here you go!"

His voice was filled with suppressed anger and resentment, each word sounding like it was being forced out of his throat.

"Within three days... someone will deliver what you requested to the location you specify!"

After saying this, he seemed to have used up all his strength. The solid phantom fluctuated violently, and then with a soft "bang," it burst like a bubble and disappeared into the air.

He didn't want to stay a moment longer. He was afraid that if he looked at Ying Xuan's hateful face again, he would lose control and kill him in his true form.

Once there's a first, there's a second, a third...

"...As you wish."

"Three days later, the Northern Wilderness will be handed over." "Boy... you'd better pray you never fall into my hands!"

One voice after another, some cold, some venomous, and some filled with endless killing intent, rang out, accompanied by the dissipation of supreme phantoms.

In the end, they chose to compromise, to pay money to avoid trouble, or rather... to temporarily avoid the limelight.

They had considered joining forces; even if only a portion of the true forms of dozens of Supreme Beings were deployed, it would still be a force capable of destroying the world. But… who would go first? Who would be willing to be the cannon fodder who expends the most energy? Moreover, Ying Xuan's formation was too strange; what if he trapped several of them and then picked them off one by one?
For these ancient supreme beings who have lived for countless years and value their own lives and the path to immortality above all else, it is difficult to truly unite and fight to the death without absolute certainty and a common mortal enmity.

Finally, the dozens of phantom figures vanished after leaving behind a few weak but defiant words and the promise of a "three-day deadline." The sky cleared again, but the terrifying pressure that had permeated the Big Dipper's domain lingered, leaving behind endless oppression and lingering fear.

Ying Xuan stood there, looking in the direction where the phantoms disappeared, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

"A bunch of...cowards."

He muttered to himself, his voice not loud, yet it seemed to penetrate the void and reach the ears of the Supreme Beings who had just retreated.

"He claims to be at the peak of body refinement, standing at the pinnacle of this world, yet he doesn't even have the courage to make a move to test the waters. He doesn't even dare to reveal his true form, only daring to appear as a mere phantom formed from his aura, uttering a few harmless but ineffective threats."

He shook his head, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes.

"I'm afraid if I were to take a few steps toward some forbidden zone right now, the old geezers inside would be so frightened that they would immediately pack up their belongings and prepare to hide somewhere else. With such a mindset, do they even dare to dream of becoming immortals? It's just wishful thinking."

Ying Xuan finally saw through the true nature of these self-destructive supreme beings.

They may have once been invincible in an era, with unwavering resolve. But the long slumber, the yearning for immortality, and the cherishing of their own condition have long since dulled most of their sharpness and adventurous spirit, making them extremely afraid of death, extremely cautious, and even... somewhat cowardly.

Unless you touch their very core, or have absolute certainty, it's difficult to get them to truly fight desperately.

Just as Ying Xuan was feeling contemptuous, several figures who had been hiding in the distance with their auras completely concealed flew over cautiously and stopped at the edge of the giant crater in Undying Mountain, bowing respectfully to Ying Xuan from afar.

These were several elderly humans, all possessing powerful auras, at least at the quasi-emperor level, yet their faces wore extremely complex expressions. There was gratitude, awe, vigilance, and even a deep sense of helplessness and...estrangement.

The leader, an elderly man dressed in a long linen robe with a gaunt face, took a deep breath, bowed solemnly to Ying Xuan, and his voice trembled slightly.

"We, the younger generation, on behalf of countless human martyrs and souls of the Beidou race, thank you... Senior Ying Xuan for eradicating this malignant tumor, the Undying Mountain! The Stone Emperor and the Eternal Celestial Venerable have countless human blood on their hands. Their execution today is enough to comfort the spirits of those who died unjustly!"

His words were sincere and heartfelt. Destroying a forbidden zone would indeed be a tremendous boon to humanity, greatly alleviating the pressure on their survival. At least, for a long time to come, the dark clouds hanging over the Beidou human race would be much lighter.

However, he immediately changed the subject, his tone becoming low and strained.

"However... we have heard a little about your actions, senior. There are nearly ten thousand cultivators outside Purple Mountain... among them are many outstanding talents of our human race. You did not take action when the forbidden zones were being reaped, senior. Now... although you have destroyed a forbidden zone, I'm afraid you will not become a pillar that our human race can truly rely on."

He put it mildly, but his meaning was clear.

We know you are ruthless and heartless, and have no affection for the Beidou human race. We are grateful for your destruction of the Undying Mountain, but we dare not expect you to continue to protect the human race.

Another old woman next to her, leaning on a cane and with deep wrinkles on her face, also spoke in a hoarse voice, her tone carrying an almost "overly flattering" tone.

"In any case, your actions today have already made an unparalleled contribution to our human race! All human races will surely regard you as... a representative and a banner! We hope that you... can remember our bond as fellow human beings and show some... mercy."

They wanted to use the pretext of "righteousness" and "representative of the human race" to try to coerce Ying Xuan, even if it was just to get him to show a slight inclination towards the human race. For the currently weak human race, this would be a great encouragement and deterrent.

Ying Xuan listened with a half-smile on his face. He glanced at the few cautious and earnest human elders, then suddenly spoke, his tone calm but like a thunderclap.

"Oh? A representative of the human race? The Pillar of Heaven?"

He paused, his gaze seemingly piercing through the void, looking towards the majestic mountain range in the Southern Region shrouded in ancient aura, and said leisurely.

"As far as I know, the Ruthless Great Emperor of the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land is the truly recognized strongest person in this world, right? Moreover, she seems to be... also a human?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the several human elders instantly became incredibly complex! They turned pale and then flushed, showing not only the embarrassment of having their truth exposed, but also a deep-seated fear and helplessness!
Ruthless Great Emperor! That's a taboo title that no living being in the Big Dipper, including the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone, is willing to mention lightly! She is incredibly powerful and mysterious beyond anyone's comprehension.

She is indeed human, but her stance... who can say for sure? The ancient forbidden lands also devour lives, yet she has never truly taken action to sweep away all the forbidden zones.

"If she were willing to take action, slaughtering all the supreme beings of the forbidden zones wouldn't be too difficult for her, would it?"

Ying Xuan continued speaking slowly, as if stating a fact.

"But why doesn't she take action? Is it because... she can't? Or... she's unwilling to pay the corresponding price?"

He didn't say it explicitly, but the elderly humans who had lived for countless years felt a chill run down their spines.

They vaguely knew some extremely ancient secrets, involving the intricate checks and balances between forbidden zones, and the possible...state or limitations that the Ruthless Great Emperor herself might possess. Dealing with more than half of the ancient supreme beings who had reached their ultimate level of enlightenment, even for the Ruthless Great Emperor, would likely require an unimaginable price, and might even affect some of her own plans.

Seeing the mixture of anger, fear, and deep helplessness on the faces of the old men, Ying Xuan smiled gently, withdrew his gaze, and looked at them again.

"So, you've come to the wrong person. I have no interest in being a 'representative of humanity,' nor in being a 'pillar of heaven.' My actions are based on my own reasoning, and have nothing to do with others, or even with race..." (End of Chapter)