A simple azure bamboo dwelling nestled by a forest lake, where wisps of spirit-infused mist rose from the water at dawn, lending the place an ethereal, poetic atmosphere.

Ling Xiang, Xi Ze, and Luo Lin were gathered on the small island in the lake, discussing profound insights and exchanging years of accumulated understanding regarding their cultivation realms. They sought to unravel the true essence of the cosmos, hoping that insights from the others might elevate their own levels of attainment.

During these sessions, the trio pooled their wisdom, attempting to decipher the secrets held within the Bloodthirsty Skeleton. Yet, each attempt only left them exhausted and utterly dishevelled.

This time was no different.

The three sat cross-legged in a triangle within the bamboo house. Before them rested three exquisite, jade-cased boxes—the Heavenly Fragrance Calming Spirit Jade Boxes. The lids were open, revealing that the Bloodthirsty Skeleton within was invisible, hidden from both the naked eye and divine senses.

Ling Xiang, Xi Ze, and Luo Lin each extended a hand, touching a piece of bone—a finger bone—within one of the boxes. Simultaneously, they unleashed their power, striking the bone, intending to shatter its mystery. However, an inexplicable force surged back from within, causing their very spirits to reel violently.

They had no choice but to withdraw their hands, their eyes betraying unconcealed frustration, and they sighed, shaking their heads.

“That power—even now, we cannot touch even a sliver of its profundity. I truly don't know how that person comprehended it,” Ling Xiang murmured, his fingers trembling slightly as he tapped the edge of the box lid, resignation heavy in his voice.

“After so many years, I wonder if the Divine Master has grasped the subtlety. If there truly is someone who managed to comprehend that power after embracing bloodlust, perhaps only the Divine Master could be that individual,” Luo Lin mused, his expression grave.

“The Divine Master suffered grievous wounds back then; his physical body was pulverized, and his soul was badly damaged, forcing him into a state of deep dormancy to recover. He simply didn't have sufficient time to decipher the mysteries of that forbidden power from the Bloodthirsty Skeleton. Otherwise, we wouldn't have enjoyed ten thousand years of peace. The Star Domain would not have remained unviolated,” Xi Ze scoffed.

Hearing this, Ling Xiang and Luo Lin secretly nodded. They thought: Who says Xi Ze is merely a martial fanatic, ignorant of worldly affairs and lacking wisdom? He sees things with profound clarity.

With the Divine Master’s domineering methods and spirit back then, had his cultivation and strength not been severely crippled, he would have already assimilated the powers of the Myriad Illusions Sect, the Shattered Palace, and the Heavenly Water Palace, rendering them subservient territories of the God Race.

It was precisely because he could not act directly, and because the eight great leaders of bloodlust in the Star Sea had not been entirely eradicated, and the Four Heavenly Kings still posed a threat, that although the God Race dominated the heavens and earth for ten millennia, they remained restrained. Towards factions like the Vast Ocean Merchant Guild, the Nether Emperor Clan, the Myriad Illusions Sect, the Shattered Palace, and the Heavenly Water Palace—all capable of threatening the God Race—they refrained from outright, overt aggression.

“News from the Vast Ocean Merchant Guild indicates that Ming Hao, Xuan He, and Fei Liet have issued a joint statement, formally acknowledging that kid’s identity as the Sovereign Lord. They mentioned that he will be coming to Phantasmal Star soon to negotiate with the three of us. What are your thoughts on this matter?” Luo Lin, the Palace Master of the Heavenly Water Palace, inquired.

“Ling Xiang is already prepared,” Xi Ze squinted.

Luo Lin turned to Ling Xiang. “What was the Vast Ocean Merchant Guild’s take on the situation?”

“Since he managed to ascend to the pinnacle, we must abide by the established agreement and fight alongside them. Now that a new Sovereign Lord has risen, we must grant him the necessary respect; otherwise, Ming Hao, Xuan He, Fei Liet, and the others will accuse us of being unappreciative.”

Ling Xiang’s eyes held a cunning glint as he spoke leisurely: “We must certainly ensure they engage the God Race in conflict. As for us, we will join the fray, just as we aided the God Race back then. However, this time, we cannot be foolish; we must not exhaust our strength.”

Luo Lin and Xi Ze nodded in unison.

Ling Xiang looked at the three boxes before him. “This thing we couldn't grasp the mystery of for ten thousand years—we shall offer it to him as a token of allegiance. Ideally, they might be able to use it to break through the true essence of that power’s profound meaning. We… might benefit from it as well.”

“Agreed.”

“Agreed.”

Luo Lin and Xi Ze affirmed their positions.

...

Deep within the clouds of Phantasmal Star, a group of people hovered motionless in the void. Before them lay the depths of the Phantasmal Domain, where countless illusions mirroring the Phantasmal Star beneath them began to materialize.

A woman dressed in a water-green skirt stood waiting silently, her phoenix eyes blazing with sharp disdain.

“Rest assured, Miss Xing Ying, our Myriad Illusions Sect has already arranged for an escort. They should arrive shortly,” a handsome young man said with a gentle, polite smile.

His gaze lingered wantonly upon the curves of Xing Ying’s back and hips, his throat visibly working as he swallowed saliva, his eyes brimming with lecherous intent. The memory of her wild passion the previous night made his entire body burn, compelling him to tear away her clothes and press her down once more.

“Brother Hao Feng, are you absolutely sure everything is alright?” Xing Ying turned back, the coldness instantly vanishing from her face, replaced by a sweet, blossoming smile—as if her face had suddenly changed. She spoke with a delicate, coquettish lilt //Fastest text update from Fan Lou www.shumilou.com, no pop-ups, no ads//.

Several martial artists from the Shattered Palace standing nearby were long accustomed to this dramatic shift in her demeanor and showed no surprise, focusing straight ahead.

“Definitely no problem. I arranged this personally. I already instructed Ban Yu of the Vast Ocean Merchant Guild to sweep them up along the way. If not for an unexpected complication, I wouldn’t have this new trouble. Relax, I’ve made the arrangements. I’ve personally dispatched our Myriad Illusions Sect’s Phantom Butterfly Squadron for escort duty. They should be here any moment,” the Myriad Illusions Sect youth boasted, pounding his chest.

“Brother Hao Feng truly has his ways,” Xing Ying replied, casting a seductive glance his way.

Hao Feng chuckled wickedly, his eyes shining as he leered pointedly at her heavily laden bosom.

Xing Ying was the daughter of Xing Ming of the Shattered Palace. Among the three factions—Myriad Illusions Sect, Shattered Palace, and Heavenly Water Palace—Xing Ying, along with Gu Ling and Cecilia, were known as the Three Heavenly Blossoms, objects of desire for countless talented youths in the