Section Six: Er Gou Dan, I Am Only a Cloud

“Are you the president of the Multiverse Chamber of Commerce?” Qian Jianji had just spoken when the elder shook his head and replied coldly, “You are not yet qualified to know my identity. I have taken a little interest; if I discover that Saint Tyrant has any hidden treasures that you are concealing, the consequences will be most severe.”

As he spoke, the elder caressed the evil dragon formed by Saint Tyrant’s consciousness on the banner, unable to hide his delight and tears of joy. “At last, this transaction is yielding a return!”

Were it not for the somber occasion, everyone would have burst into hearty laughter. Wuyun chuckled for a while, then, seeing Wanyan Denglie silently watching him, quickly changed his expression and said, “Saint Tyrant’s trading partners have all arrived, you…”

“Go away! Who is his friend? He's my mortal enemy! Even if you all died, I wouldn’t grieve. It’s all lost, struck by lightning and gone…” The elder, sorrowful, activated his powers once more, gazing into the distance. On the smooth ground and far away, among scattered items, not one belonged to those precious trade goods!

Wanyan Denglie clasped his hands in respectful thanks, and strode from the sky toward Wuyun, intent on probing his depths step by step.

Aside from Wuyun, all—eight peak masters and Yue Luohua—were forced to the ground by overwhelming intimidation.

This was the difference of realms: a realm, a mountain!

The immense pressure bore down on Wuyun, whose newly formed skeleton emitted a peculiar fragrance, reminiscent of precious memories within the soul, exceedingly unique.

“At last, I’ve found it!” The elder’s eyes lit up; with a wave, he forcibly pushed Wanyan Denglie aside. The invisible force showed he was already at the pinnacle of Divine Breaking, ready to transcend tribulation and depart this space at any moment!

“You, this flesh puppet, even contain materials I sold. You belong to me now!”

Yue Luohua was horrified, as were the peak masters. They had assumed Demon Cloud had some trick left, but unexpectedly, he was singled out by the mysterious elder from the Multiverse Chamber of Commerce. Not only was Sword Mountain Sect doomed, but everyone’s lives were at risk!

Faced with the elder’s intervention, Wanyan Denglie showed no displeasure, instead standing respectfully, prepared to let the elder deal with Wuyun first.

But in the next instant, he was stunned!

“Er Gou Dan, you’ve done well for yourself, being chosen by that mysterious sphere from the Multiverse Chamber of Commerce as the secret guide?”

The elder’s outstretched hand and the invisible wind it stirred vanished at the sound of that name: Er Gou Dan.

“Er Gou Dan?” The elder murmured, staring at Wuyun from head to toe, finding nothing unusual. Wuyun appeared utterly ordinary, save for his strange skeleton; otherwise, he was no different from any other man.

---

“Who are you!”

Those present were astonished. A mere “Er Gou Dan” had shaken the strongest cultivator here! It seemed Saint Tyrant’s choice to make him the guardian beast of the mountain, ultimately to protect him, was not without reason.

“Whenever you were lonely and helpless, you would gaze up at the sky, counting falling meteors. With each meteor’s descent, you’d make a wish—to become the strongest, to avenge your father. Now, your great vengeance has been fulfilled, hasn’t it?”

Faced with Wuyun’s words, the usually impassive elder could not suppress his inner panic and shouted, “Who are you, really?”

“When you were born, I was there. I watched as your mother died in childbirth, and your father was plunged into despair. You possessed the most wondrous constitution here—the Rootless Body.”

Wuyun spoke as if narrating an ancient story, slowly stepping out from behind Yue Luohua. With every step he took, the elder retreated a pace in the air. Even Wanyan Denglie followed suit, falling back.

The other members from the eight sects were already quietly withdrawing, preparing to leave the scene and avoid becoming embroiled in this turmoil.

“After your mother died for you, your father entrusted you to his friend, Elder Dongxu. Dongxu raised you bit by bit. Later, Dongxu failed to transcend tribulation, and, with his lifespan depleted, passed away. As for what happened afterward, I do not know.”

Wuyun waved his hand. “You’ve become so powerful; surely, I can’t always look after you, can I? Right, Er Gou Dan—Xinqi!”

The elder called Xinqi was seized by emotion for a moment. Then, above, the tribulation clouds thickened. He could no longer suppress his concealed cultivation; Heaven’s way had detected him, and he was about to undergo lightning tribulation!

“Quick, control yourself. If you transcend lightning tribulation here, you’ll draw remnants of the divine thunder of the nine heavens. By then, not even the strongest of the Multiverse Chamber of Commerce could open a space to rescue you—you would not survive!”

Chastised, Elder Xinqi repeatedly nodded. Once he had suppressed his cultivation, he saw the tribulation clouds still lingered, leaving him bewildered. He possessed treasures capable of blocking tribulation lightning, yet Heaven’s way still targeted him.

This was the effect of Wuyun acting as Heaven’s agent. He represented Heaven’s way; wherever he was, whatever he sensed, Heaven would naturally be aware. Thus, any attempt at deception was utterly impossible!

“Senior, senior! Who are you really?” Elder Xinqi finally humbled himself. No one in his memory knew his secrets.

After all, he was over thirteen thousand years old and had lingered here only to investigate his missing father’s fate!

“I am but a cloud.” Wuyun’s tone was tinged with sorrow. Elder Xinqi, meanwhile, stood as if struck by ten thousand bolts of lightning, stunned. Then, under the awestruck gaze of the crowd, he descended quickly, stooped, and jogged to stand before Wuyun.

---

Then, with a thud, he knelt before Wuyun, crying out, “Senior, senior, you are the one who hid among the clouds, sending me images and words, teaching me peerless martial arts! I, Er Gou Dan, have finally met you, finally found you!”

He sobbed!

An elder over ten thousand years old, yet he wept like a child. Wuyun could not help but reach out and stroke his head, as one would comfort a child, sighing, “The ages pass; I am but a cloud.”

At this, Wuyun’s mood turned to anger. He scolded Yue Luohua, “If not for your master, that brat Saint Tyrant, who brought me here, how could I have delayed you for so long!”

“Senior, my father…”

“After entrusting you to Elder Dongxu, your father went in search of miraculous medicines capable of reviving the dead. Later, he was trapped in a small space, endured tribulation, and departed. Ah, Er Gou Dan, your father was truly a man with a story!”

Wuyun suppressed the truth in his heart!

Could it be that Xinqi’s father was already dead?

Ten thousand years had passed; death was natural. Yet for cultivators, their struggle with Heaven was for longevity.

Xinqi’s father had found new love and transcended tribulation with her, leaving together…

Regardless, Xinqi’s father had not died!

Xinqi stood dazed for a long moment, realizing he had pursued the wrong goal, wasting nearly ten thousand years!

“Your mother is frozen in…” Wuyun whispered into his ear, and Xinqi nodded continuously. At last, carrying the tribulation clouds, he prepared to leave, but said with resignation, “Senior, you know how the Multiverse Chamber of Commerce is—business is business, friendship is friendship. I still need to take back Saint Tyrant’s consciousness for proper accounting.”

He tossed out a token, which swiftly entered Wuyun’s body, then reminded, “Senior…”