### Chapter 5: The Tao of Heaven Simulation
==============================
At the Daoist temple above the Thousand Bird Floating City.
After successfully completing his mission, Gongsun Ding returned to the Immortal Gate, and the Sect Leader didn’t skimp on giving him some recognition. Gongsun Ding stepped out of the discussion hall with steady steps, secretly letting out a breath of relief.
However, while walking, he accidentally overheard a hushed conversation among the Inner Door Disciples nearby.
“I find this a bit strange. Why is a mere little demoness causing such a ruckus for us in Thousand Bird City? They just lost a bunch of people, and most of them weren’t even from our city. Why should we stick our necks out for them?”
“I agree; this whole deal feels off. I heard that the treaty between Thousand Bird City and White Feather City seems tough on the Monster Race, but that’s only because we’ve got strength. Given the nature of the Monster Race, if a powerful demon shows up, they’ll probably turn on us faster than you can say ‘bat out of hell’.
We could’ve kept our trump card for something bigger, but instead, we’re going all out just to catch a little demoness. Honestly, I feel sorry for our Immortal Gate.”
“Maybe Gongsun Ding is hoping to solidify his standing with the Sect Leader before his contemporaries return from Half Moon City, since they’re about to come back?”
“Ha! What’s he thinking? No way!”
“That’s right; the position of chief disciple is all about strength! He’s been stuck at the ninth level of Qi Refinement for over twenty years! If the disciples from his batch hadn’t gone to Half Moon City for group battles, he would’ve lost his spot ages ago.”
“Shh! Someone’s coming; stop talking!”
As the group noticed Gongsun Ding approaching, they immediately turned to leave.
Gongsun Ding, with keen ears and sharp eyes, definitely caught their chatter, and with a sigh, he couldn’t help but feel a bit dejected.
Inside the discussion hall, an elder with hair as white as snow sat beside Li Ying Tian, his expression seemingly puzzled.
“Sect Leader, our Thousand Bird City stands tall in the human world like a floating island, defying enemies from miles away. The Monster Race trembles at the mere mention of our name,” the elder said.
Li Ying Tian smiled slightly, “What are you getting at, Elder?”
“A lowly little demoness shaking things up? Why should White Feather City cater to us by capturing her? There’s a treaty between the two cities, sure, but asking White Feather City to do our dirty work requires them to pay a price, don’t you think?”
“I certainly understand that.”
“Then why, Sect Leader, are you being so rash…”
Li Ying Tian stared firmly at him. “Junior Sister Tan has been in seclusion for three days. I sent Gongsun Ding to White Feather City actually on her suggestion.”
The elder was taken aback. “You mean, Tan Ziyan has simulated the Tao of Heaven?”
“Exactly. If this demoness isn’t dealt with soon, she’ll surely become a problem for Thousand Bird City in the future. If we’re not careful, it could even threaten the foundation of the entire Immortal Gate.”
The elder’s expression changed. “Tan Ziyan’s calculations are unmatched; she must have sensed something. If that’s the case, I won’t say more. I’ll suppress the rumors among the Inner Door Disciples. Please rest easy, Sect Leader.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
After the old man left, Li Ying Tian stood up and headed towards the forbidden area of the Immortal Gate, the Hall of Heavenly Secrets.
Only the Sect Leader and Tan Ziyan, who managed the Hall of Heavenly Secrets, were allowed inside.
Even Li Ying Tian had to notify a attendant before entering to see if Tan Ziyan wanted to meet.
“Junior Sister.” Li Ying Tian clasped his hands toward a purple figure facing away from him.
“Brother, you’re here. Please take a seat.”
Tan Ziyan spoke coolly without turning around.
Li Ying Tian hadn’t seen her face properly for over thirty years.
“Junior Sister, Gongsun Ding has returned; things went smoothly. White Feather City has agreed to fully capture the demoness.”
Inside the Hall of Heavenly Secrets, Li Ying Tian, usually quite assertive, found himself feeling a bit breathless, especially since his junior sister was not only nearly as skilled in immortal ways but also extremely proficient in simulating the Tao of Heaven. Hadn’t she been so focused on cultivation and uninterested in power back in the day, the position of Sect Leader might have gone to her instead.
“Very good,” Tan Ziyan replied shortly.
“With all those mighty demons in White Feather City actively hunting, a mere demoness shouldn’t last too long.”
“Brother, I understand.”
Li Ying Tian sensed something strange about his junior sister’s demeanor today, but knowing her quirky personality, he brushed it off.
“Well, I’ll be heading out then. I’ll come back if there’s news.”
“Good, no need for me to see you off.”
“No need, no need.”
Li Ying Tian walked for quite a while, while Tan Ziyan’s posture remained unchanged.
Before her floated a piece of rice paper, and a wolf hair brush moved across it without any hand guiding it. The strokes appeared chaotic, yet when the rice paper flipped, the ink suddenly formed an eerie pattern.
“Pfft…”
A mouthful of bl**d splattered onto the paper, causing it to erupt into flames and vanish into ashes.
Tan Ziyan, looking like a girl, slumped to the ground as if her strength had been drained, taking a long time to recover.
“Who exactly is that Cold Moon Witch? Why does every crucial moment regarding her get interrupted?”
Tan Ziyan was filled with confusion but dared not simulate it again.
“Is the fate of Thousand Bird City already predetermined by heaven? No, it can’t be.”
With a mutter, she slowly shook her head, her face growing paler due to the damage to her spirit.
When Li Ying Tian came by earlier, she hadn’t revealed the truth.
She had only mentioned that Thousand Bird City would face a calamity because of the Cold Moon Witch, but the real outcome was known only to her.
She didn’t want to say it, nor could she.
The way of heaven, though simulated, could never be a hundred percent accurate.
Thus, she could only pin her hopes on capturing and executing that demoness in time. Only then could she prevent Thousand Bird City from falling into the catastrophe she had foreseen.
As for the Cold Moon Witch, after several attempts, she had grown weary of even trying to simulate her fate.
She had thought her skills in simulating the Tao had reached perfection, only to find herself repeatedly thwarted with that demoness.
Perhaps the depth of her entanglement with the Tao of Heaven was so profound that even the Tao itself couldn’t determine her fate, and as a mere simulator, how could she gain clarity?
As the saying goes, the secrets of heaven cannot be leaked.
So, let’s end the simulation about the Cold Moon Witch here.
If Thousand Bird City couldn’t escape disaster, it would be because of its own actions.
Everything in the world has its cause and effect; it’s just that the time for retribution hasn’t come yet.
“Entering seclusion, from today onwards I meet no one,” Tan Ziyan ordered.
“Yes, Elder.”
Outside the Cold Wind Cave in the Chaos Forest.
The Wolf Demon led a group of little demons in rusty armor, wielding worn-out knives and swords, charging out from Tiger Wolf Cave.
To create a sense of intimidation at Cold Wind Cave, Tiger Wolf Cave had nearly exhausted its inventory of equipment.
From a distance, the little demons were full of spirit, and the one at the front even held up a tattered banner with a huge “Wolf” character written on it.
The Wolf Demon marched confidently toward Cold Wind Cave, thinking that if the Cold Wind Old Demon saw their imposing spectacle, he’d surely be shaking in his boots.
All they had to do was have him concede and hand over Cold Wind Cave, and everyone would be happy, without a need for bloodshed.
Such an outcome would count as a win-win, right?
With this thought in mind, the Wolf Demon clearly felt no pressure and walked briskly. What should have taken half a day was reduced to just a little over half a day for the little demons, who were now far ahead, catching sight of the lake indicating the territory of Cold Wind Cave.
The little demons, who had started to feel tired, suddenly perked up.
The Wolf Demon raised his arm and shouted, “Listen up, if we strike fear into every creature in Cold Wind Cave today and make them scatter like quail, I’ll treat you all to a grand feast when we get back!”
“Thanks, Second Great King!” The little demons’ spirits soared even higher.
However, as they got closer to Cold Wind Cave, they were met with an unexpected sight.
What used to be a dense forest ahead was now completely gone, replaced by a barren expanse.
Moreover, an imposing wood fence formed a high castle that suddenly appeared before the demons. It looked just like the walls of a human city, with many little demons appearing on top of it.
The Wolf Demon was utterly dumbfounded.
Never had they expected that a little time away could result in such a dramatic transformation at Cold Wind Cave. It was simply unbelievable.
What in the world was happening?
Were negotiations even still on the table?
Regardless, now that they were here, they couldn’t back down before even saying anything.
Gathering his wits, the Wolf Demon rallied his subordinates. “Don’t worry, those wooden planks are nothing in front of the Great King and the Second Great King; if it comes to a fight, with just a little push, they’d probably collapse and crush Cold Wind Cave’s own feet.”
As he was speaking, a series of “ouch, ouch” cries suddenly erupted from the crowd.
They all turned to see that several little demons had unwittingly fallen into a hidden pit, emerging bruised and dazed.
“Quick, pull them up!” The Wolf Demon urged, fuming.
The little demons gathered around the pit, just as they were about to give it their all when someone stepped on a mechanism. The sturdy ground suddenly gave way, and the Wolf Demon watched helplessly as nearly half of his team was lost before even reaching the entrance of Cold Wind Cave.
The cries of his subordinates rang out in chaos.
“Don’t move! Stay still!” The Wolf Demon panicked.
From a safe distance, he yelled at the wooden fortress, “I am the Second Great King of Tiger Wolf Cave, here to see the Cold Wind Old Demon. Please announce my presence calmly, lest traps be set again.”
After a long while, there was finally a reply.
“Come over by yourself.”
“Second Great King, no! Be careful, it could be a trap!” the little demons cautioned.
The Wolf Demon said, “Don’t be afraid; I can escape unscathed. Just hold off for now, and don’t act recklessly to avoid falling into another trick.”
