Kao Dao Ji stood before another horde of his disciples.
Like many times, he began to describe the great Dao to them.
Guiding them as effectively as he could.
The expression of those disciples brightened several times.
"How is this possible…Every time we come here, it feels like the depths of the knowledge of our teacher are growing greater and greater.
It almost feels like the gap is only growing wider…"
"Don't be silly. He must have been holding himself back the previous times."
Several disciples discussed among themselves as they heard him speak.
While nothing could be perceived from Kao Dao Ji's expression, internally, he felt mild discomfort.
"So, even they are starting to catch up?" He frowned.
"Sigh.
Just how many years do I even have before the five regions know about me?"
As he thought this, his mood grew even heavier than before.
"My apologies. But due to unforeseen circumstances. This session must be cut short."
The Featherman stared at him, bewildered.
Was the usually serious boss truly trying to quit halfway?
Before they had the chance to complain, they stared at Kao Dao Ji's solemn expression.
"I cannot tell you what, but something huge is about to happen."
"Follow the same exact procedures you'd follow in case of a foreign attack, or if I were in the middle of a Tribulation."
Upon hearing those words, the eyes of the Featherman widened.
Any complaints in their hearts had vanished, and their expression grew serious.
They all dispersed in small groups.
While that sounded stupid, after all, there was strength within numbers that logic did not apply to Tribulations.
Very often, when the Tribulation discovered it could not kill the Immortal, it would target the resources within their apertures, most often the living beings within.
By splitting them, they could massively decrease the losses.
Kao Dao Ji took a deep breath.
Before flying away, his expression looked ugly as he stared at a certain figure.
"Le Tu. Why didn't you tell me you were having a Tribulation?" He asked in an accusatory way.
Le Tu's lips trembled.
"Well…Huh…" He darted his gaze away from the one of Kao Dao Ji.
"It's a long story…" He scratched his head awkwardly as he said this.
"Then make it short." Kao Dao Ji squinted his eyes in annoyance.
"Well…Huh…Cough. Cough."
"To be honest. I never thought I would be here for as long as I have.
I thought it would take a year, or two tops, before Shung Mia Yin unraveled your Killer Move.
By the time I realized I was going to be stuck here for a while, the tick in my Tribulation grew nearer…"
Kao Dao Ji frowned.
"Even so. You could have told me before, and you could also have used methods to slow down your aperture."
"That is the thing, I actually had some time before my next Tribulation. However. Just in case, I went to Treasure Yellow Heaven to try and find a method to slow down my aperture."
In this world.
Immortals have to undergo a Tribulation every ten years inside their apertures.
However, that is only with respect to their apertures.
In reality, the time within their apertures may flow 30 times faster than outside, or even in the opposite way.
Humans are clever in ten thousand ways, and of course, uncovered the method.
Regarding methods to modify the speed of the aperture, there are several ways to do it, however.
The best, without a doubt, is by being an Immortal of Time Path, using an Immortal Killer Move of Time Path.
By doing so, the effect is the greatest.
Of course, not everybody is a Time Path Immortal, so the second-best way is to use an Immortal Killer Move belonging to the path of the Immortal, mimicking the essence of the path in question.
Unfortunately, neither of those methods is feasible. Even if the Immortal holds an Immortal Gu, it may not necessarily be the one that is being sold at the market.
And the required modifications to implement it for one's own path are more often than not, unfeasible.
Thus.
Most immortals settle for the third-best way.
If using Immortal Gu is impossible, one can only compensate for quality with quantity.
Buying a large sum of expendable Time Path Gu to alter the time in the aperture, generally they employ Year Gu and the like.
Kao Dao Ji frowned.
"I do not understand. The methods that are sold on the market. Use expendable mortal Gu, whilst powerful when employed together.
They take too long to make a noticeable change.
You could have easily noticed if something went amiss and stopped it at any point."
Suddenly, his pupils widened as he made a conjecture.
"Unless…You employed another method?"
Le Tu nodded solemnly.
"It was strange. Just as I went to the market, I found that there was somebody selling an Immortal Killer Move of Earth Path to alter the time flow in an aperture.
I did not have much hope for it, but I bought it just in case.
But once I studied it, I felt that it had too many similarities with my own Gu.
So, I tried to modify the Killer Move using my own Immortal Gu as a core, however.
Once I tested it.
It did the opposite of what I was told; my aperture kept moving faster and faster.
In just a few instants, my aperture that was slower than the world outside suddenly became several times faster than that of the five regions.
Once I realized this. I disregarded the backlash and forcefully cancelled, but it was too late.
It had already affected the core of my aperture!
Even so, I tried to slow it down using other methods, however…"
Le Tu sighed helplessly.
"They were like trying to extinguish a wildfire by blowing out."
"Initially, I suspected that I had been schemed by, but that does not make much sense.
Nobody can deduce against me, so how could they deduce my situation?"
His expression changed, growing remorseful.
"In the end, I can only blame myself for my incompetence…"
He bowed down before Kao Dao Ji.
However, Kao Dao Ji was not in the mood.
"Too many strange things have passed in the last years, the sudden attack of the Da Clan that stopped in a single instant. Followed by my Tribulation and now this?" Kao Dao Ji's suspicion reached its limits.
But he braced himself for it.
He gritted his teeth and asked.
"How much time do we still have?"
"6 hours…"
Kao Dao Ji frowned.
"Call Uru Hong Jing. We need as many reinforcements as possible."
…
…
…
Unbeknownst to him.
Inside the core of his aperture.
Several phantoms stood unblinkingly, observing his every move.
Then. Their gazes centered towards Le Tu.
And as they did, they could perceive the surrounding clouds drawing nearer, and the skies darkening.
A clear sign of unstable Earth and Heaven Qi, a clear sign of an approaching Tribulation.
Infinitely far away.
Drifting in the river of time.
Crimson Soul stood in a tiny boat, holding a red scepter.
In that red scepter, Spring Autumn Cicada had been embedded at the very center.
The images of Kao Dao Ji's aperture and the dissonance within Le Tu were easily perceived by him.
A faint smile could be seen in his face.
"Is just as you foresaw, Red Lotus."
Crimson Soul caressed the glass where Spring Autumn Cicada was hidden, as he smiled uncannily.
"Star Constellation cannot tolerate anything she cannot understand. For her, everyone who cannot be measured is one who should not exist.
She wants to get rid of Kao Dao Ji for good before putting her attention on us."
After saying those words, he could not help but laugh.
He laughed and laughed madly until tears streamed down his face.
He covered his face with his palm, wiping the tears from his face before muttering.
"How ridiculous….She's blundering the king to capture the pawn!"
…
…
…
Kao Dao Ji widened his eyes.
"This…
It cannot be."
His jaw trembled.
"Is that A…"
He gulped down.
"D-Dream Path Tribulation?" Terror and utter disbelief appeared on his face as he muttered those words.