After breaking up with my girlfriend, I became a Great Sage of the Demon Clan.

Zhou Yan stopped, and among the flock of cranes, an old crane with a beard and white eyebrows spoke to Zhou Yan from afar.

"Who are you, and how dare you trespass into the Linshan Cave Heaven?"

At the entrance to the Floating Immortal Mountain that Zhou Yan visited, there was a Taishan Stele with the inscription "Linshan Cave Heaven" on it.

Behind the old crane, a row of cranes separated, each with wind blades swirling around its body, looking like they were about to have a group fight.

Zhou Yan glanced at the cranes and then said coldly.

"I am Bai Ze!"

The old crane was startled, and the young cranes behind it all trembled, even the wind blades became somewhat unstable.

The old crane looked Zhou Yan up and down.

Zhou Yan spoke up.

"Your name is Bai Mei, and you will live to be 535. You were born on a peach tree with thirty-two burls growing on it in the back mountain..."

The more Zhou Yan spoke, the colder he felt. These cranes each had their own attribute panel, detailing their past lives.

This is no longer at the level of condensing the void into reality; it is simply creating things from nothingness, and these things are even living beings.

The old crane immediately cried out.

“Immortal, please wait a moment while I go and invite Dongchengzi.”

With a flap of its wings, the old crane flew back to the Linshan Cave. A short while later, a Taoist priest dressed in a gray robe arrived in front of Zhou Yan on a cloud.

The Taoist priest sized up Zhou Yan, then bowed and said.

“Dongchengzi, the master of Linshan Cave, pays respects to the immortal Bai Ze.”

The other cranes gasped in shock, and many flew behind the old crane, their small heads peeking out from behind their ancestor's head, furtively and fearfully eyeing Zhou Yan.

Dong Chengzi reached out towards his own floating immortal mountain.

"Since you have come from afar, why not come to my Taoist temple for a chat?"

Zhou Yan nodded and carried the nine-colored deer to the Linshan Cave.

……

At the foot of Dawu Mountain.

The awakened group, led by Xu Hanyao and He Taotao, gradually gathered at the foot of Dawu Mountain.

When these awakened individuals left, there were only about twenty of them. Now, more than eighty have returned. These eighty-odd people are making a ruckus, and a few of them, relying on their status as demon-level awakened individuals, are asking He Taotao a question.

"Is there really a true god-level awakened being willing to protect us?"

"Hey, hey, hey, you're not trying to scam us, are you?"

"There are so many of us here. If you dare to do anything wicked, we'll all die with you!"

The God of Literature descended from the mountainside, and as soon as he came down, he casually pressed down.

The noisy crowd at the foot of the mountain immediately fell silent. This silence wasn't because no one was speaking, but because everyone was unable to make a sound, as if someone had pressed a mute button on the area.

This caused the eighty-odd awakened individuals at the foot of the mountain to feel a sudden chill. They all saw each other's mouths opening and closing, but no sound came out. If such a strange phenomenon occurred in extremely dangerous places like the forbidden zones for humans, it would definitely mean that the awakened individuals who encountered it were in grave danger.

Many people are starting to prepare to flee.

Wenquxing reached the foot of the mountain and spoke.

"Alright, everyone, please calm down."

All the awakened beings below looked at Wenquxing. Why could this person speak?

Wenquxing pointed at Xu Hanyao.

“Mr. Xu, you speak first.”

Xu Hanyao, who was originally unable to speak, suddenly made a sound.

"Master Ye?"

Xu Hanyao touched his mouth in surprise, then looked at Wenquxing in disbelief.

Upon seeing this scene, the others realized who had caused their sudden inability to speak, and they all looked up at Wenquxing with fear.

Wenquxing asked Xu Hanyao.

"Brother Xu, are these the helpers you brought?"

Xu Hanyao, who was able to speak, nodded.

"Yes, these are the brothers we can find so far. If we count the other awakened ones, there are about fifty more. It's too dark now, and they can separate, so we won't go looking for them."

Wenquxing nodded.

"If we can't find it, then so be it. There are so many of us, it makes sense. Everyone, come up to Dawu Mountain with me. I've prepared food and drink for you."

Wenquxing snapped his fingers, and the silencing was lifted. Everyone could speak, but no one dared to speak. Wenquxing's casual act of silencing them had frightened the group into silence.

The God of Literature turned around and went up Mount Dawu.

He Taotao, Xu Hanyao, and the others, who were already on good terms with Wenquxing, looked at each other. They all thought that Wenquxing was a highly skilled person, but this skill seemed a bit abnormal.

It's like knowing your neighbor is very rich, only to find out they're the kind of rich who drives a Star Destroyer to work.

Of course, in the current environment, having a powerful figure in your own queue is definitely a good thing.

He Taotao and Xu Hanyao followed Wenquxing, and He Taotao's team also went up together. The other sixty-odd people who had been recruited hesitated for a few seconds, then mentally prepared themselves and went up as well.

On the summit of Dawu Mountain, Wenquxing lit more than thirty bonfires, with canned goods on the fires and chilled beer beside them.

As soon as everyone came up, Wenquxing began to speak.

"Brothers, let's eat and drink, don't be shy. I'll tell you about Old Master Zhao's plan."

He Taotao and Xu Hanyao led the way to the campfire, and the others sat down one after another. Then they started eating and drinking. Of course, they brought their own food and drinks, as these awakened individuals dared not touch the food and drinks given by Wenquxing.

Wenquxing didn't bother with the Awakened's defenses and simply recounted Zhao Wenhe's ambition to become emperor. As he spoke, He Taotao, Xu Hanyao, and He Taotao's teammates acted as persuaders, claiming that they had witnessed Zhao Wenhe shatter a mountain with a single palm strike, demonstrating that he was a true god-level Awakened.

Of course, these oral accounts couldn't fool anyone. After Wenquxing finished speaking, he left the campfire on the hilltop and went to Zhao Wenhe's bedroom in the Dawu Palace.

Upon arriving outside the palace, Wenquxing respectfully greeted him.

"Your Majesty, He Taotao and his group have arrived with 62 talented individuals. However, these talents are all arrogant. If Your Majesty is so inclined, you should reveal your abilities to them tomorrow to intimidate them and win their hearts."

Zhao Wenhe's voice came from inside the palace.

"understood."

Wenquxing left.

Zhao Wenhe, sitting cross-legged on the floor inside the palace, couldn't help but feel happy.

When Zhao Wenhe was still Empress Dazheng, she had to review countless memorials every day. When reviewing them, the most common thing she did was to write three words at the end of the memorials: "Understood".

To indicate that I have read it.

Now, when Wenquxing reports and replies with "I understand," Zhao Wenhe has rediscovered the feeling of being the supreme ruler he once was.

It's almost here, really almost here.

According to the immortal who resurrected her, as long as Penglai Island reappears, she will be able to rule the world with unprecedented power, and then becoming empress will be a natural outcome.

Talented individuals like Zhou Yan, Bai Ze, and Wenquxing all gathered around her to assist her.

Human determination can conquer nature!

……

After leaving, Wenquxing randomly found a palace to stay in. As soon as he settled in, he clutched his chest and wondered to himself.

"Young master, what do you think of those floating immortal mountains?"

A few seconds later, Zhou Yan's voice came out.

Something's not right.

Wenquxing hurriedly asked.

"How is it wrong?"

"I... I entered a cave in the mountains, and when I tried to leave, I could no longer see the peaks of Mount Dawu."

"These grottoes seem to be another small world. I... I don't know what this place is."

Wenquxing's expression was solemn.

……

Outside Daigo Palace.

Nearly a hundred awakened individuals ate, drank, and chatted. Some, after drinking their fill, invited their female companions to open tents and carried them inside.

Penglai Island is currently in a period of disappearance, and so far, no one has been able to emerge alive from this period. Therefore, even though these awakened individuals have banded together like never before, most of them still feel that they will not survive the next opening of Penglai Island.

Since we can't go on living like this, let's just enjoy the moment and get drunk. Whether it's food, drink, or the opposite sex, let's all let loose.

In front of the small Daigo-dono temple, a large group of people were relaxing to their hearts' content. Various sounds mixed together, making the night chaotic. Then the sounds gradually subsided until only the crackling of the campfire burning wood could be heard.

In front of the largest campfire, four awakened watchmen idly tossed wood into the fire, one of them, a man wearing glasses, looking at his companion.

"When someone's luck runs out, even drinking water can cause problems. I used to be a rich second-generation heir in Xihai Prefecture, and all I did was eat, drink, and have fun every day..."

His companion immediately laughed.

"Yes, yes, you used to be a notorious playboy in our area."

The bespectacled man was indignant.

"So what if I'm a playboy? All I do every day is eat, drink, and have fun. Have you ever heard of someone squandering their family fortune for three generations by indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun, or becoming a beggar after three years of investing and starting a business?"

There's a joke in the banking industry: someone gets a loan to start a business, but then uses the loan to buy a house. Someone secretly tells the bank staff about this, and the staff breathes a sigh of relief, saying it's lucky the money wasn't used for investment or business ventures, otherwise it would have been a complete waste.

Investing in and starting a business is such a treacherous thing.

"My original plan was to live a life of leisure and extravagance until my grandson's generation. Who knew that my bratty brother would take the money and invest in stocks? Our family has tens of millions in assets, and my bratty brother squandered it all in just two years. That 50 million is enough to live off my grandson's generation!"

The man with glasses took off his glasses and wiped his eyes.

“My family ran out of money, so I had no choice but to come out and find work. What kind of work is the most profitable? Coming to these forbidden zones. You can earn millions in one trip. But after only two years, I’ve only earned five million, which is enough to buy my son a barely acceptable house. Now, I’m just having bad luck…”

The man with glasses put his glasses back on.

"I'm stuck here. What am I going to do with my wife and son? Just thinking about other scumbags spending the money I risked my life to earn to sleep with my wife, beat my son, and make my son call them 'Dad' makes me want to cry."

The other awakened ones on night watch remained silent.

Every time they ventured into the forbidden zone to search for treasure, they were prepared to die. But when the time actually came, thinking of their homes and the wealth they hadn't yet spent, they felt a surge of resentment.

"I'm going to take a piss."

The bespectacled man got up and went to a corner where everyone could see him. Once there, he took off his pants and started urinating on the ground.

The people around him glanced at the man, then picked up their beers, drank, and boasted.

The bespectacled man pulled up his pants, looked at the yellowish liquid that had come out of his mouth, and then looked up at the surrounding area.

All around were silent mountain peaks shrouded in darkness, their shadows faintly visible and indistinct.

The bespectacled man felt a tightness in his chest. He was a member of He Taotao's team and had personally witnessed Zhao Wen shatter a mountain with a single palm strike. But this did not offer him any comfort, because the human forbidden zone was notorious for its ability to be used even by true gods.

And he happened to be at the most dangerous time on Penglai Island.

Why am I so unlucky? Why me of all people?

I haven't enjoyed life enough yet...

The bespectacled man, in his distress, didn't see that as his urine flowed out, a layer of black mist appeared from the edge of his soles, then enveloped them.

The bespectacled man shook himself; the water was all gone.

Pulling up his pants and fastening his belt, the bespectacled man walked back to the campfire. Perhaps it was because he had drunk too much, but he felt much lighter, as if he could float away as he walked.

The bespectacled man walked to the campfire, sat down, and the other brothers looked over.

The brother closest to him blinked, puzzled.

"you are?"

The bespectacled man was taken aback, then chuckled.

"I'm Zhao Qi. What's wrong? You've had too much to drink and don't recognize me?"