Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

Under the veil of night, two figures, one following the other, were engaged in a chase.

The black-clad demoness at the front fled nimbly, moving like a specter that flickered unpredictably, leaving a swath of murky mists and fishy clouds in her wake.

The white-clad fairy in pursuit, though slightly slower, relied on the flying sword in her hand that moved like thunder to repeatedly block the paths of the black-clad woman, barely managing to keep from losing her.

Finally, the white-clad fairy spotted a lapse in the other's faltering True Qi and thrust her sword, which flew like a ribbon, piercing through the back of the demoness in an instant.

The black-clad woman's body fell to the ground, and the white-clad fairy quickly rushed forward, extending her Divine Sense into the corpse:

Damn it, she had fallen for a feint—a shell game!

What seemed to be the body of the black-clad woman was actually just a puppet dummy she had thrown out!

Just as the white-clad fairy was about to turn back and continue the search for the demoness along the path she had come from, suddenly sirens blared. The exit behind her was sealed off by several ironclad vehicles; doors burst open, and several uniformed individuals jumped out, pulling out sidearms and aiming them at her as if facing a great enemy:

"Stop right there!"

"Don't move!"

"Put your hands up!"

Listening to the distant commotion, Yan Yu tossed the empty cola can he had finished drinking into a nearby trash bin.

He raised his head once again, gazing into the depths of the gloomy alley.

From the shadows, a black-clad demoness emerged, clutching her abdomen; it seemed she had suffered serious injuries. Not only was her face bloodless and pale as wax, but her body also wobbled unsteadily, as if she would collapse and die at any moment.

In fact, she was indeed at the end of her tether.

That white-clad woman was her archenemy, who had been relentless in pursuit for nearly three days and nights, chasing her from Green Cloud Mountain all the way to the Endless Sea. There, they unfortunately encountered a spatial storm, a rarity of millennia, and both were swept into it.

Upon emerging, they found themselves in this world.

This world was filled with strange and bizarre things, unlike anything seen or heard before:

Everywhere there were towering buildings that soared into the sky like mountains, ironclad carriages that moved on their own without any magical aura, and a multitude of ordinary folk without any magic, donning a variety of flashy and exotic outfits.

The most fatal aspect was that the concentration of Spiritual Energy here was so thin that casting spells was like trying to light a fire underwater; even the simplest spell required a great deal of True Yuan to execute.

Even in this strange world, her archenemy relentlessly hounded her like a mad dog, and she could only flee for her life. Finally, seizing a fleeting opportunity, she employed the shell game to successfully shake off her pursuer.

Next, she needed to find a place to heal her wounds.

In a world where Spiritual Energy was so scarce, an injury that normally would take barely ten days to heal might now require several years to recover from... Who?

Seeing the strange young man waiting at the mouth of the alley for her, a flash of murderous intent crossed Zhao Yuanzhen's mind, but her face conveyed a plea for help as she said:

"Save, save me, please..."

Their cross-country flight must have already alerted the local authorities.

That wretched woman, failing to find me, would likely opt to cooperate with the local regime, deploying a large network of informants to search for my whereabouts.

To find a secluded place to heal, I must kill all witnesses; it's imperative that they are not allowed to inform the authorities and lure my archenemy back to my trail!

With a ruthless mindset, Zhao Yuanzhen's expression became even more frail and pitiable, waiting for the moment the young man came closer to strike with a deadly ambush, leaving no stone unturned.

It was a pity that her True Yuan was depleted; otherwise, just one spell would have been enough to blast him dead. Why bother with such complications?

Seeing her in such a pitiful state, Yan Yu did not rush forward, but instead calmly asked:

"Miss, are you Zhao Yuanzhen, also known as 'Miyuan'?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yuanzhen was taken aback:

Who is this person? How does he know me?

Seeing that she was at a loss for words on the spot, Yan Yu maintained his composed demeanor and said:

"Your master is the 'Venerable Hanxi' of the Qiansi Sect. You entered the sect at the age of five, and your master highly valued your talent, even going so far as to secretly pass on the String-Pulling Technique to you—a technique meant only for a true disciple. To prevent your elder sisters from harming you out of jealousy, she warned you to never reveal it lightly. Isn't that right?"

Zhao Yuanzhen's face went pale. This knowledge of the String-Pulling Technique, something her master had secretly taught her, was not something she had ever revealed before anyone else. How did this man know about it?

Could he have some kind of Heavenly Vision that could see through a person's practiced techniques? No, that's not right! I only memorized the technique from my master and haven't even successfully practiced it, let alone used it! How could anyone see through it?

Impossible, impossible! Absolutely impossible!!!

Seeing her countenance violently disturbed, Yan Yu still wore an expression of unfathomable depth, smiling with profound significance as he said:

"Did I say something incorrect? Oh, you also have two elder sisters, right? Your second elder sister doesn't like you at all, often mocking you with spiteful words behind your back, but your eldest sister takes good care of you, doesn't she?"

"Furthermore, your senior sister is actually more cunning than your second senior sister," he said. "She saw that master intended to take you as his true disciple, so she deliberately orchestrated your removal. The reason you offended Mei Yingxue of the Sword Sect was also a scheme by your senior sister. Even the news of the secret treasure you received was a fabrication she crafted, all to make you directly confront Mei Yingxue, who was filled with hatred for the Demon Cult after her junior brother had just been killed… Speaking of which, guess who killed her junior brother?"

These words struck Zhao Yuanzhen's ears and linked all the troubling thoughts and doubts in her mind together like lightning:

It was her! That bitch!

But compared to "seeking revenge on her senior sister," Zhao Yuanzhen was more wary of the unfamiliar young man before her, and she couldn't suppress the strong sense of fear rising in her heart.

His words were sharp like swords, his sentences cut like knives; each phrase precisely exposed a secret of her sect, secrets that should and could not possibly be known to anyone!

The only explanation was that this person... or someone behind him, was a master of divination and fortune-telling!

The art of divination is the hardest of all methods to cultivate in this world, without equal.

And because divination involves probing into the heavenly secrets, it often incurs divine punishment, so those cultivators who can be considered "masters of divination" are all mighty beings who can command the heavens and earth, reverse the fates, turn clouds with a flip of their hand, and rain with the overturn of their palm. Not even the leader of the Qiansi Sect would dare to offend them.

Otherwise, such a person could simply calculate your destiny, manipulate your karma, and effortlessly scheme against you. When death is imminent, you wouldn't even know who is harming you!

Zhao Yuanzhen pursed her dry lips, feeling her legs weaken, instinctively wanting to collapse on the ground; yet she merely braced herself and bowed, feigning a pitiful demeanor as she said:

"This humble woman, Miyuan, greets the senior. May I inquire..."

But Yan Yu deftly sidestepped, avoiding her courtesy:

"I dare not accept your greeting. I am merely relaying my master's words and offering you some advice."

"Your sudden fall into the spatial rift and arrival in this minor world has already been calculated clearly by my master."

"When Mei Yingxue cooperates with the royal court, deploying numerous minions to search the mountains and seas, with your body's waning energy, if she finds you... heh, I fear the odds are against you."

Zhao Yuanzhen was of course aware that her True Yuan had long been depleted and she was no match for Mei Yingxue. Already at her wit's end, she trembled as she asked.

"Then, what should I do, may I ask..."

"How can the secrets of heaven be revealed so lightly?" Yan Yu's expression instantly turned serious, and he coldly chuckled, "Would you dare to probe the secrets of heaven, and can you bear the corresponding price?"

Damn it! Zhao Yuanzhen thought with a clench of her heart, I had forgotten!

Those peerless beings who could calculate the destinies of the world—they could give advice to others, but who was she to seek their counsel?

The flustered Zhao Yuanzhen, realizing her mistake, feared that her impetuous plea for help would come off as a great impoliteness and offense in the eyes of that mighty being behind the scenes, and quickly bowed again, pleading:

"It was presumptuous of me. I was previously pursued and lost control of my emotions, leading me to an impertinent test. Please, have your honorable master forgive my transgression. If there is punishment or discipline, I will accept it without a single complaint!"

In the Cultivation World, the greater the sect, the more rigid the hierarchy. Particularly within the various factions of the Demon Cult, if one encounters an ancient senior who places great importance on propriety and hierarchy, one must hasten to beg for mercy and act humbly; otherwise, if they dislike you, they could just obliterate you into dust and obliterate your soul, with nowhere to go for justice.

Seeing Zhao Yuanzhen's panicked, groveling, and pitiable appearance, Yan Yu was also secretly surprised and amused.

Is this really the future Empress Yuanzhen who will shake the entire world and command the winds and clouds?

No, Yan Yu was not the disciple of any master divinator, but a reborn individual with memories of the future.

In the original timeline, both Mei Yingxue and Zhao Yuanzhen had traveled to this world concurrently.

Mei Yingxue, born into an Orthodox Sect, chose to cooperate with the official forces. In this grand era when the Spiritual Energy began to recover, she helped the nation cultivate many cultivators and eventually became a guardian hero revered by countless people.

On the other hand, Zhao Yuanzhen, with her background in the Demon Cult, was forced to struggle and fight every step of her way. Despite being besieged by Mei Yingxue and the official forces, she survived numerous perilous challenges and eventually became the unfathomable "Empress Yuanzhen," forcing Mei Yingxue to set aside her prejudices to negotiate and ally with her to fight against foreign Transcendents.

If Yan Yu had a choice, he would certainly use his foreknowledge to assist the amicable and steadfast Mei Yingxue—after all, she was easier to deal with.

As for Zhao Yuanzhen, due to her Demon Cult origins, she was the type of capricious, free-spirited femme fatale who regarded the lives of the weak as no more valuable than grass and vermin, and blindly seeking her out was no different from courting death.

But the real issue was that Yan Yu possessed no Spirit Root.

For the practice methods promoted by Mei Yingxue from the Orthodox Sect, a Spirit Root was the most basic talent requirement.

If you don't have a Spirit Root, what then? I'm sorry, you might not be suited to be a Cultivator.

However, the "Silken Bond Technique" cultivated by Zhao Yuanzhen, although more difficult to practice, did not require any inborn talents for cultivation. Thus, it was Yan Yu's only option.

Why did Yan Yu know so much?

Because the future "Empress Yuanzhen" was one to boast, become easily enraged, and loved to brag about herself.

After reconciling with Mei Yingxue, she even collaborated with a TV station to produce an extremely detailed documentary to promote her own great achievements.

All those secrets that should not have been known, which Yan Yu now possessed, were disclosed by the future "Empress Yuanzhen" herself in the documentary!

It is these very secrets she recounted herself that now frighten the lightly cultivated Zhao Yuanzhen, making her worship him as if he were a figure of unreachable heights!