It was with casual effort that Yan Wubing used a simple exhalation to stir magical laws and slaughter numerous enemies. It was power the likes of which Yang Qi had never witnessed.

In fact, this sickly Yan Wubing was the most powerful person he had ever encountered.

Despite that immense display of strength, the man was acting very respectfully. He even folded his hands politely at his waist. “Young Master,” he said. “I’ve eliminated all the conspirators. Do you have any other orders, sir? I'm at your service in any capacity.”

“I wouldn't dare to impose on you,” Yang Qi said politely. “I'm a mere Legendary, and you’re an expert among experts. In fact, you really shouldn’t address me as ‘young master’.” Yang Qi was still having a hard time believing that this man was here to help him.

It was true that he had just killed two fifth step Great Sages as a show of goodwill, and seemed to be acting very humbly. He even directly stated that Yang Qi was the son of the Holy Mother. After everything Yang Qi had experienced in life, there was no way he would simply take the man’s word at face value. However, deep in his heart, he didn't feel any danger, and therefore, he decided to listen to him.

“Sir, you are the son of the Holy Mother, which means that, even in the Hanging Mountain itself, you have very high standing. I'm just one of the Holy Mother’s subordinates, a mere steward. It’s only natural that I would treat you with the utmost respect, Young Master.” Yan Wubing was speaking with the deepest respect. However, at the same time, he was clearly sizing Yang Qi up, and as he did, his eyes gleamed with approval. “Young Master, your energy arts are quite shocking. You’re only an Astral-Star Legendary, and yet you were able to fight both Di Shidao and Emissary Red Lotus, both of whom are high-level Great Sages. That’s the type of thing you only expect in immortal geniuses from an immortal plane. The Holy Mother is definitely going to be very pleased to hear about this.”

“So, she really is my mother?” Yang Qi asked. “I thought she led the female Demonfolk, which means that I'm supposed to stay in hiding.”

Shaking his head, Yan Wubing said, “There’s no need for anything like that. The Holy Mother has been blessed by numerous almighty beings from the heaven above, the immortal plane. And considering how terrifying her cultivation base is, no one here could possibly be a threat to her. Sir, you are her son, which makes you an official holy son of the Hanging Mountain. Of that, there is no doubt, and therefore, there is no need to hide who you are.”

“So that’s how it is.” After a moment of thought, Yang Qi continued, “So what exactly happened back when I was born? Why did she abandon me?”

“Well, that’s simple. Throughout the generations, the holy daughters of the Hanging Mountain have always remained chaste and undefiled. If word spread that one of them bore a child, her energy arts would be crippled, and she would be imprisoned to lead a life worse than death. Back then, the Holy Mother cultivated something called the Red-Dust Spectral-Dream Heart-Sutra, an immortal skill. Upon reaching the highest level of that skill, her true energy dispersed into the void, and she lost all her powers. She was also pregnant with you during that time. To escape the danger, she fled to the Rich-Lush Continent and handed you over to Yang Zhan. Eventually, she mastered the use of her immortal skill, and became a Demi-Immortal. That was when she put an end to everyone who was scheming against her, and seized power in the Hanging Mountain. As of this point, none of those things matter anymore.”

“Why didn't she come to see me after she took power?” Yang Qi asked. “Instead, she left me to live a bitter and dangerous life in the Rich-Lush Continent. If she's the all-powerful Holy Mother, why didn’t she help me out? And don’t say it was for my own good, to help me become stronger. I got plenty of that crap from the chancellor of the Demi-Immortal Institute. He sent me to do all kinds of dangerous things on that pretext, only to reveal later that he was fully in the camp of the Crown Prince. I was severely injured, you know, and was even forced into hiding. It seems like a natural thing for a mother to help her child, if you ask me.”

“You misunderstand the Holy Mother’s intentions, Young Master. The past several years have been a rough time for her as well. Her original plan was to go get you once you were a teenager. However, after she became the Holy Mother, it was a constant struggle to establish her authority and power base. And she didn’t want people causing trouble for you. In the end, you weren’t swept up into the complicated affairs of the Hanging Mountain, and were safer because of it. Look at what happened with Di Shidao and Emissary Red Lotus. They colluded against you as soon as word of your existence began to spread. If you had been in the Hanging Mountain all this time, you would have been swept up into such matters long ago.”

“Well, I guess I can’t deny that,” Yang Qi said, nodding. The Hanging Mountain was far larger, and far more complicated of a place, than the Rich-Lush Continent, with more experts than the sky had clouds. To many people there, his fight with the Crown Prince would seem like little more than kids playing.

“Young Master, your cultivation base is still low, but your humble servant can tell that your true energy has reached an unimaginable level. This is no flattery, sir. I've lived for tens of thousands of years, and I've never seen a genius like you before.” Yan Wubing's eyes looked as though they were dim with age, and yet, he was clearly very perceptive.

“True,” Yang Qi said. “It’s not common to find Astral-Star Legendaries who can kill Great Sages, or stand up to an ambush by two fifth step Great Sages. However, in my case, it’s all due to the glory of the legion of gods.” Yang Qi wasn’t playing with words. He knew that he bore such glory, and that without it, he would be little more than trash.

In response to his words, Yan Wubing’s eyes twinkled with golden light, almost as if he were peering into the depths of Yang Qi’s very being.

“There’s no need to crack random jokes, Young Master,” he said. “The legions of gods is real, and has existed from ancient times until now. I might be a bit muddle-headed nowadays, but I’ve heard the stories of immortals who pretended to be gods, and then died at the hands of godly tribulation. Young Master, from here on out, I suggest you not blaspheme against the legion of gods. The universe will not show you mercy if you do, and you’ll end in catastrophe.”

“I’ll be fine, but, yeah, let’s stop talking about it.” Yang Qi waved his hand dismissively, aware that Yan Wubing wouldn't believe that he had accepted the legacy of the gods and their glory, and even had a God Legion Seal in him. Switching topics, he said, “Well then, why don’t you take me to see my mother in the Hanging Mountain. There’s no need for me to sneak around now, right?”

“She’s still in seclusion as she has been for a while,” Yan Wubing replied, “but your humble servant has already arranged everything for you, Young Master. From what I can tell, you’re very close to a breakthrough to the Great Sage level, is that right? When you achieve that breakthrough, your substructure will change significantly, and the Holy Mother will be able to publicly acknowledge her relation to you.” He waved his hand, and an enormous space-time wormhole opened up, in the depths of which Yang Qi could see a sprawling continent that was clearly larger than the Quake-Dawn Continent.

“Is that the Hanging Mountain?” Yang Qi asked, peering into the wormhole.

Yan Wubing shook his head. “No. It’s the Plateau of the Leviathan, an important offshoot of the Hanging Mountain. I guess in some ways you could say that it is the Hanging Mountain. Once we’re there, I’ll help you assume your new identity. By the way, the heaven above has sent a decree stating that they intend to recruit top geniuses from our world to join their ranks. If you can win such an honor, then no one will ever cause any problems for you. And the Holy Mother wants you to do just that. The first step is to become a formal member of the Hanging Mountain.”

“You want me to become a demon?” Yang Qi said, frowning. “I'm not sure that’s the best thing for me.”

Yan Wubing burst out laughing. “Who said everyone in the Hanging Mountain is a demon? The majestic immortal who founded this place left behind one primary edict: Everyone is Welcome, Regardless of Background. Humans, demons, devils, ghosts; everyone can practice cultivation here. In addition to the Demonfolk, you’ll find all sorts of sects in the Hanging Mountain. For example, of the three thousand daoist sects and hundred thousand smaller factions in the Quake-Dawn Continent, fully a tenth of them take orders directly from the Hanging Mountain.”

Yang Qi nodded as he followed Yan Wubing into the wormhole. So far, all of his intuition was telling him that this man wasn’t a danger to him. He was nothing like Emissary Red Lotus, who had seemed to abound with secrets and oddities.

But then, Yang Qi suddenly stopped in place. “Wait. There’s something else I want to know about.”

“What might that be, Young Master?” Yan Wubing replied, his tone one of utmost respect. “Could it be regarding the Rich-Lush Continent? It's safe, so you have no need to worry. I’ll take care of everything. I heard about how you killed the son of the Quake-Dawn Cathedral’s Holy Daughter, but even that's not anything to worry about. They won’t dare to do anything to you.”

Yang Qi shook his head. “No, it's not that. I’ll handle the Quake-Dawn Cathedral on my own. They’re not safe from me anymore. I want to know about my past. If my birth father isn't Yang Zhan, then who is he?”

Yan Wubing's face drained of blood, and he backed up a few steps. It was no act. Apparently, Yang Qi had touched upon a major sore spot.

“Young Master, sir, you should really avoid the topic of your father’s identity. I doubt even the Holy Mother will tell you.” He shook his head. “Drop the matter for now. Perhaps when you're much, much stronger, the truth will come to light.”

Remaining completely calm, Yang Qi said, “Come on, there’s no way I just fell down out of the sky, is there? Don’t tell me I'm like that Crown Prince, a supposed god from heaven descended into the mortal world? What, my mother dreamed of some falling stars, and then gave birth to me?”

“No, it’s not like that. Young Master, you definitely have a father, it's just that he....” Yan Wubing sighed. “There is no greater taboo. I really can’t talk about it. If I did, it could rock all creation. In fact, it would be considered a big deal even in the immortal world above. The exalted Holy Mother doesn’t wish to speak of the matter, and I warn you to never, ever, ever mention the matter to her. She’ll be very upset, and although she wouldn't do anything to you, I'm sure you’d prefer to avoid hurting her feelings.”

“So, it's like that.” Yang Qi prepared to continue talking about the subject, then decided against it. “Alright, I’ll figure it out on my own as time goes by.”

“Young Master, you’re a clever young man, and definitely no fool. As you know, the Hanging Mountain is vastly larger than the Rich-Lush Continent, and here, there are just as many villains as honest folk. Sir, you have a special status, and there are going to be plenty of enemies keeping an eye on you. I'm sure that before long, you’re going to make the Holy Mother very pleased. You know, there’s no room for you to grow in the Rich-Lush Continent. But the Hanging Mountain has dealings with the immortal planes. We used to be part of the former Yore-Wilds planetary system, and were governed by the Titan Emperor Heaven. Sooner or later, you’ll go to the immortal plane to become an immortal, and after that, a Demolisher.”

Without another word, Yang Qi stepped into the wormhole, which whisked him along to the teleportation portal at the end.

Beyond that was the Plateau of the Leviathan.

1. In this paragraph, there is a play on words. There is a Chinese expression analogous to “as easy as pie” except it’s literally “the strength required to blow away dust”. So the passage says that he literally used “the strength required to blow away dust”.

2. Everyone is Welcome, Regardless of Background is a saying oftentimes applied to Confucius, who accepted students from all social strata.