Within the dense foliage of a hundred-meter-tall ancient tree, a vibrant figure hung suspended awkwardly, bound by shimmering, crystalline flood dragons that slowly dissolved after a stretch of time.

"Thump!"

Xing Ying crashed onto the ground, her body aching with soreness, her exquisite face contorted with hatred and fury.

Since childhood, she had never suffered such profound humiliation. Her desperate, self-respect-abandoning advance toward him was not only rejected but resulted in her being flung away like a discarded dog—the greatest disgrace of Xing Ying’s life.

Her cultivation, at the Third Heaven of the Void God realm, offered no means of resistance when bound by those starry flood dragons, filling her with both annoyance and shock.

Once the dragons receded and she regained mobility, she gazed toward the palace in the distance, gritting her teeth, and, defying death, cautiously approached again.

Before long, she returned to her previous vantage point, intending to demand an explanation from Shi Yan. However, as she raised her gaze and focused her sight, she froze abruptly.

On a protruding stone platform of the palace, Shi Yan’s Primordial Realm manifested like a brilliant river of stars, the constellations swirling like diamonds. Ouyang Luoshuang, meanwhile, moved across the lunar star within his Realm like a wisp of condensed moonlight essence.

Shi Yan himself sat with his eyes tightly shut, utterly immersed in the profound wonder of comprehending his own state.

A single glance sent a tremor through her spirit, a trace of ruthlessness flashing in her eyes. She possessed considerable knowledge of the mysterious nature of Primordial Realms and cultivation states. She understood perfectly that when Shi Yan opened his Realm for Ouyang Luoshuang, neither could be disturbed by the outside world. If she struck now for revenge...

Xing Ying narrowed her eyes, weighing the risks, unable to make a swift decision.

Shi Yan clearly dismissed her; he had little interest in her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so merciless, denying her even a chance to approach. Having just endured such insult, her nature demanded retaliation, yet the man before her was the Bloodthirsty Venerable. What if...?

Xing Ying dared not act rashly.

"You best leave sooner rather than later."

At that moment, Gu Ling materialized silently, like a woodland sprite, her eyes fixed coldly upon Xing Ying.

Xing Ying’s delicate eyebrows arched. She glanced at Gu Ling with disdain. "What? Are you interested in him too?"

Gu Ling’s delicate face turned cold, and she laughed mockingly. "Do you think everyone is like you, swarming a man like a fly to rotting meat? Unable to be satisfied until you’ve taken a few bites and tasted the flavor?"

Friendly with Cecilia, Gu Ling had always found Xing Ying distasteful, and her words were utterly blunt.

"You know what I want?" Xing Ying’s expression shifted, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.

"Whatever you plan for Shi Yan, I advise you to abandon the thought. He is not someone you can afford to offend. Don't bring trouble upon your father, the Shattered Hall, or all three of us. Otherwise, no one can protect you!" Gu Ling snorted. "While he is still unconscious, you’d best depart quickly. If he discovers your ill intentions, you won’t just be tossed away like a dead dog as before; I fear you might truly end up a dead dog!"

Gu Ling was young, but when she chose to be malicious, it could truly chill one to the bone.

Xing Ying’s alluring face turned ugly. She knew this was the territory of the Thousand Illusions Sect, and she knew Gu Ling was Ling Xiang's goddaughter; offending her here was unwise.

After a moment of contemplation, Xing Ying said nothing, merely glaring fiercely at Gu Ling before retreating with a frosty expression.

Only after Xing Ying was gone did Gu Ling look up toward Shi Yan, her bright eyes filled with astonishment.

She knew that Shi Yan had opened his Primordial Realm for Ouyang Luoshuang, allowing them both to experience the profound subtleties of enlightenment simultaneously in a highly unusual manner.

Shi Yan's Primordial Realm, deep and vast as a stellar river, captivated her. She had seen the Realms of many Primordial Gods, yet none were as mysterious, exquisite, deep, or boundless as Shi Yan’s. Gazing into that Realm, she felt the smallness of one looking up at the starry sky, as if that Realm had swallowed the seas of heaven and stars whole.

"What a marvelous Primordial Realm. To comprehend deep mysteries within it must yield great rewards. I wonder if Cecilia is fortunate enough to have cultivated inside his Realm. Hmph! A philandering man, falling for every woman he sees! A scoundrel!"

Gu Ling muttered softly at first, but by the end, her face chilled, and she couldn't help but curse.

In a secluded, sealed-off district of Illusory Star.

Several emerald-green bamboo huts were shrouded in thick white mist. This mist was peculiar; it could block soul consciousness, sight, and sound, acting as a powerful barrier.

Inside one hut, Laina of the Celestial Water Palace frowned. Floating before her was a massive drop of water, within which the scene unfolded with perfect clarity: Shi Yan and Ouyang Luoshuang jointly comprehending the essence of their cultivation states.

Cecilia sat quietly in the room, her expression low, staring deeply at the scene within the water droplet, biting her lower lip, silent.

"He traveled with the Great Tide Merchant Fleet, then came into conflict with the Shattered Hall because of this woman, claiming she was his. He forced Xize to apologize. We all thought this woman had no deep connection to him—perhaps just a casual friend—and that he only said and did those things to save her..."

Laina looked at Cecilia, noting the painful helplessness in her eyes, and sighed inwardly before continuing.

"But looking at it now, they truly might have something between them. Otherwise, that woman wouldn't have entered his Primordial Realm so carelessly and impulsively without any defense. And he opened his Realm for her to grasp some subtle insight. If you say there is no connection between them, I truly wouldn't believe it."

Cecilia kept her head lowered, offering no reply.

"It's not worth it. I truly feel it’s not worth it. I’ve inquired about some of his affairs. This man is frivolous in nature; wherever he treads, women are never far from his side. You are merely a small passerby in his life. To him, Shushuw.cn www.shushuw.cn - First Release you are no different from those other women. If you anchor your entire heart and soul to him, your life might be one of constant sorrow," Laina advised.

Cecilia pressed her lips together, pondering for a long time. She finally looked up, a hint of painful resignation in her beautiful eyes. "When I first met him, I knew what kind of person he was. But in my life, I have never met anyone more outstanding or who has moved me so deeply. Either I abandon this and live with regret, or I delve deeper and suffer the consequences afterward. But the latter, at least, can be called an experience, something worth remembering. The former is missing out; perhaps it means less pain, but it also means losing a piece of life’s scenery. Master, how should I choose?"

Laina was startled. She gazed deeply at Cecilia for a long time before shaking her head and sighing. "It seems I can only let you remain here."

"Master, why did the Palace Master and the others act that way?" Cecilia asked thoughtfully.

"For one hundred thousand years, the vast star river has been dominated by the Four Great Races. They rise and fall in turn, keeping the Star Sea in constant turmoil. Many powers, many races, even entire star domains, have vanished forever because of their conflicts. These Four Great Forces are the source of the Star Sea’s iniquity..."

Laina looked at her, helpless. "Unfortunately, they are too powerful. Other forces are often mere supporting players in their struggles, helplessly swept up in their chaos, with no choice. Today, we—we are unwilling to let them continue their rampage indefinitely. We, along with the powers not belonging to the Four Great Races, wish to compel these four factions to settle down, allowing us to maintain a stable transition for the Star River."

"To put it plainly, the Thousand Illusions Sect, the Shattered Hall, and the Celestial Water Palace have accumulated strength over the years and feel they now possess the might to vie for dominance, and they truly want to try it out, right?" Cecilia stated the core truth in one sentence.

Laina was momentarily stunned, then smiled faintly. "That can be said."

"What is their plan this time?" Cecilia asked again.

"To give that Bloodthirsty Remains artifact to Shi Yan, agreeing to ally with him. Once he leaves Illusory Star, they will spread the news of this alliance. The God Race will naturally dispatch experts to kill him. The Bloodthirsty lineage will also learn of this and arrange protection. As soon as he leaves the Thousand Illusions Star Domain, the two sides will officially clash, fighting to the death," Laina explained.

"I understand. Shi Yan is a chess piece meant to ignite the conflict. They intend to provoke their violent confrontation before they are fully prepared, then observe the situation and support the weaker side," Cecilia deduced.

"Not bad for my disciple. Your thinking is very clear; you’ve got it exactly right," Laina praised.

Within Shi Yan's Primordial Realm, time and space seemed suspended, everything subject to his command and control.

If he deliberately slowed the passage of time, time would indeed slow down...

Ouyang Luoshuang wandered through the lunar stars in his Realm, relishing the subtle mysteries inherited from her Divine Race ancestors, completely unaware of the passage of time.

Shi Yan remained submerged in his own Realm, exploring the profound truths hidden within the mysteries of space and stars.

After an unknown period, he awoke abruptly. Sensing with his mind, he frowned slightly and shifted his focus.

Inside the Primordial Realm, Ouyang Luoshuang was suddenly grasped around the waist by a giant, divine hand, as if being pulled from a lake and deposited back into the real world.

Shi Yan gazed deeply at Ouyang Luoshuang, his expression exceedingly complex.

Through analyzing Ouyang Luoshuang's Realm and the subtleties of her power, he drew one conclusion: Ouyang Luoshuang's master must be a powerful expert of the Divine Race.

Anyone capable of mastering the ancestral subtleties of the Divine Race and instructing Ouyang Luoshuang—a First Heaven Primordial God—to the point of her genuine admiration and recognition, must be extraordinary.

Moreover, according to Ouyang Luoshuang, this person would also be coming to Illusory Star to handle some matters...

Shi Yan felt a sense of foreboding—a vague feeling that a massive crisis was slowly approaching.

He looked at Ouyang Luoshuang deeply, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly said, "Later on, if the situation becomes extremely unfavorable, I might have to do things that will make you despise me. I need to give you a heads-up now. Don't worry, I won't actually harm you, but I must inform you beforehand..."

His words were extremely vague, and Ouyang Luoshuang clearly didn't understand, pressing him, "What do you mean?"

"What I mean is, I might need to use you to help me achieve my goal," Shi Yan said, his gaze peculiar.

"Use me? What value do I have for you to exploit?" Her clear eyes were filled with confusion. She did not know the true identity of her master, only that the person was very powerful. She failed to connect Shi Yan with her master and thus couldn't guess Shi Yan's intentions.

"In any case, you should have prior knowledge. When the time comes, you will naturally understand the true meaning of my words."