21: The person behind the scenes

On a night of torrential rain, Xue Wuhui stood on the edge of a cliff, his crimson robes flapping wildly in the strong wind. Suddenly, the crisp sound of a dry branch breaking came from behind him.

"Who?" Xue Wuhui abruptly turned around, his Drinking Blood Blade already unsheathed three inches. When he saw the newcomer clearly, his pupils suddenly contracted—a Black-robed Person stood beside an ancient pine tree three zhang away. Under their hood was a swirling nebula, and even the torrential rain evaporated into mist three inches around that person.

"Now I give you two paths: one, die by my blade; two, find something for me," the Black-robed Person's voice was like sandpaper rubbing against bluestone, and the powerful pressure made Xue Wuhui unable to muster any thought of resistance.

The scene in his Sea of Consciousness suddenly trembled violently. Di Shenglong could clearly feel Xue Wuhui's shock at that moment. When those starlight traveled through his Meridians, they could actually cause the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi to circulate spontaneously. This was a method that even Law Realm experts could not achieve.

This mysterious Black-robed Person was a Venerable!

"I want the Di Clan ancestral ring." As the Black-robed Person spoke, the torrential rain suddenly froze in the air, each droplet reflecting myriad stars. "This is the design on the Ancestral Ring. I want to see it three days from now at midnight."

With that, he tossed a scroll to Xue Wuhui.

The memory scene rapidly shifted. Di Shenglong saw the Black Fiend Alliance fighting fiercely with Di Junhao.

The memory jumped again. Xue Wuhui followed the mysterious Black-robed Person to a black palace suspended in the Void Realm. Inside the palace, there was a statue of a god with three heads and six arms. In front of the statue stood a man wearing a dark official robe. The man had his back to the scene, and only the golden emblem embroidered on his official robe could be seen—a pattern of a sword crossed with scales.

"Master, the ring is in hand." The shadow respectfully presented the ring.

"Well done." A hoarse voice came from the person in front. That person slowly turned around, and Di Shenglong saw that the person was wearing a bronze mask, with a blood-colored crystal embedded in the right eye socket. Just the Qi casually leaking from him caused the surrounding space to constantly collapse and reform.

Xue Wuhui suddenly knelt on the ground, black blood seeping from his seven orifices. Di Shenglong could feel that the other party was also a Venerable, and even a Heavenly Venerable expert!

The Black-robed Person respectfully presented the ring, and the masked man gently caressed its surface.

"From today onwards, you will be the Dark Department Deacon of the Law Enforcement Hall."

"Law Enforcement Hall..." This ancient name reminded him of records he had seen in ancient Di Clan texts in his youth—

During the era of the Ancient Human Emperor, to maintain order on the continent, the Human Emperor called upon the powerful forces of the continent to form the "Law Enforcement Hall," which supervised the world. The Hall was filled with experts.

However, with the Human Emperor's demise, the Law Enforcement Hall gradually faded from public view. Only when the continent faced a crisis would the Law Enforcement Hall appear.

Yet, for nearly a thousand years, almost no one had seen its true form.

"I didn't expect this organization to actually exist..." Di Shenglong's brows furrowed. "And it's targeting the Di Clan ancestral ring."

What confused him even more was the last scene in his memory. Xue Wuhui had already taken the Ancestral Ring from Di Junhao.

Di Shenglong looked down at the ancient ring in his hand.

"So what is this one?"

"Or are there two Ancestral Rings?"

Di Shenglong was puzzled.

However, he no longer pondered it. He put away the Ancestral Ring. Since he already knew the identity of the person behind the scenes, then from now on, the Law Enforcement Hall would be the Di Clan's whetstone!

Once he completely fused with his Emperor-level cultivation, all difficulties would be resolved!

Outside the window, the setting sun dyed the entire Di Clan Ancestral Land golden. The new era belonging to the Di Clan had just begun!

Above Xuantian City, the galaxy sparkled like a waterfall. Di Shenglong stood with his hands behind his back on the Family's Stargazing Platform, the dark patterns on his ink-gold robe flowing under the starlight, as if echoing the surrounding stars.

"Thump, thump."

Footsteps came from the stone steps, and Di Qianjie and Di Lingxiao ascended the high platform one after another. The former held the Thousand Tribulations Sword, while the latter held a long spear, though this spear was merely a High Grade mortal weapon.

"Greetings, Clan Chief." The two bowed in unison.

Di Shenglong turned, his gaze sweeping over the two young talents. The Sword Intent in Qianjie's eyes was condensed into substance, and a circulating blood Qi faintly appeared around Lingxiao, causing him to nod secretly.

"Do you know why you were summoned late at night?"

Di Qianjie and Di Lingxiao shook their heads.

"I summoned you two tonight to reward you."

Di Shenglong chuckled and gently waved his sleeve, and two Jade Slips appeared out of thin air. Di Shenglong picked up the cyan Jade Slip on the left and flicked it towards Di Qianjie.

"Clang!"

The Thousand Tribulations Sword suddenly unsheathed half an inch, its Sword Cry like a Dragon. The Jade Slip disintegrated the moment it touched the sword's edge, transforming into myriad light points that merged into Di Qianjie's glabella.

"This is..." Di Qianjie's pupils contracted, and a monstrous Sword Intent appeared in his Sea of Consciousness. The Nine Heavens collapsed in the sword light, and stars fell like rain. Only a solitary, arrogant figure held a sword and questioned the heavens.

"The Nine Heavens Annihilation Sword Art, Saint-Grade High Grade." Di Shenglong's voice pierced through the Sword Intent's roar. "This sword art has nine forms in total. Cultivating it to Major Achievement can cut down Law. But—"

His tone suddenly shifted: "For each form cultivated, a wisp of humanity must be severed. On the day all nine forms are completed, the sword wielder will become a Heavenly Dao Puppet."

Di Qianjie's whole body trembled violently, cold sweat seeping from his forehead. The figure in his Sea of Consciousness suddenly looked back, and it was identical to his own face!

"Afraid?" Di Shenglong lightly tapped his fingertip, and the Sword Intent illusion dissipated.

"No!" Di Qianjie clenched the trembling Thousand Tribulations Sword. "If I can protect my clansmen, what does it matter if I become a demon?"

A hint of relief flashed in Di Shenglong's eyes, but he said coldly, "Foolish! What I want is a sword wielder, not a sword slave." He pointed his fingers like a sword and carved a golden pattern on Di Qianjie's glabella. "This 'Heart-Questioning Seal' can keep your spiritual platform clear. Remember, the ultimate of the Sword Dao is not heartlessness, but in..."

"The will to protect." Di Qianjie suddenly interjected, a great look of understanding in his eyes. The Dragon patterns on the Thousand Tribulations Sword suddenly brightened, and it actually evolved a new sword stance under the starry sky—containing both the killing intent to annihilate the heavens and earth, and the gentleness to protect all living beings.

Di Shenglong nodded slightly and turned to look at the nervous Di Lingxiao.

"Lingxiao, have you noticed anything unusual about yourself?"

"Unusual?"

Di Lingxiao's eyes lit up, and he suddenly thought of something. He rolled up the sleeve of his right arm, revealing an arm covered in strange black patterns.

"Clan Chief, I don't know what's been happening lately, but my arm suddenly turned like this. And ever since my right hand became like this, I've noticed that if I get injured, my body slowly heals!"

Di Shenglong nodded. Sure enough, this was a sign of the initial Awakening of the Undying Battle Body.

The Undying Battle Body is one of the top divine Physiques. The world's Physiques are divided into Mortal Physiques, Spirit Physiques, Saint Physiques, Divine Physiques, and Immortal Physiques.

Most people have Mortal Physiques, and those who Awaken Spirit Physiques are all Geniuses. As for Saint Physiques, those are top Prodigies. And anyone who Awakens a Divine Physique is an unparalleled Prodigy who appears once in ten thousand years. As for Immortal Physiques, those only exist in legends—"This is indeed a sign of the Undying Battle Body Awakening, it's just not fully Awakened yet."

Di Qianjie and Di Lingxiao were shocked. They never expected Di Lingxiao to Awaken a Physique. Although they didn't know what kind of Physique it was, anyone who Awakened a Physique was a Genius. In their Di Clan, only their ancestor Di Lingshuang had Awakened a Physique.