Deep beneath Han Yuan Valley! A figure materialized abruptly, brow deeply furrowed, arriving at the Ji Family Grand Hall.

Li Hentian, who had been waiting early, merely glanced at him and asked, "What is it?"

Forcing a smile, Ji Changkong looked towards another concerned figure and inquired, "Grandfather, any progress?"

Gu Ya shook his head gently. "After twenty years, still nothing. Perhaps the method I originally conceived was flawed."

For two decades, Gu Ya had been searching for a way to break through to the Ten Directions Heaven realm. After his battle with the Asura King, he believed he had found the precise method for achieving this breakthrough, yet despite years of arduous cultivation, he remained unable to ascend.

The acupoints within his body, harboring the power of the stars, stubbornly refused to shift according to the celestial movements. He had attempted numerous methods, yet the locations of these points remained immutable.

After countless repeated failures, Gu Ya slowly began to question if his direction was wrong, becoming afflicted by doubt and indecision.

This specific method was what he considered the optimal path to breakthrough. Beyond it, he genuinely could not conceive of any superior alternative. Having groped along this path for a full twenty years without success, doubt began to plague him.

Yan Changkong and Li Hentian had only just reached the peak of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm. In terms of cultivation stage, they were now on the same level as Gu Ya.

If Gu Ya could not find the way, it implied that the theories he had imparted to them might ultimately prove impractical. Moreover, in the past two decades, there had been no news from the Solar Star Domain of anyone successfully breaking through to the Ten Directions Heaven realm.

As for the major families in the Solar Star Domain that boasted cultivators of the Ten Directions Heaven, while they respected Xuan Yuan Valley immensely in other aspects, Xuan Yuan Valley could not glean the secrets of their Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators’ breakthroughs into the Ten Directions Heaven realm. This was the final bulwark of those powerful factions, a secret they would never share with outsiders.

And over the last twenty years, those masters at the peak of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm had also failed to break through, suggesting that the secret arts they controlled were likewise not absolutely effective, seemingly requiring individual, solitary exploration. This realization settled the matter for Xuan Yuan Valley, dissuading them from pursuing investigation through other means.

"Right, Changkong, you were summoned by the Sacred Beasts immediately upon entering Xuan Yuan Valley. Was there something important?" Li Hentian asked.

"The Four Sacred Beasts wished me to do them a favor. However, my personal strength is limited. To accomplish this, we will need at least eighteen cultivators of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm," Ji Changkong admitted, hiding nothing from these two.

"What favor?" They both pressed.

"The Four Sacred Beasts want to return home, to leave the Five Elements Continent," Ji Changkong said with a slight smile, then added, "But the Four Sacred Beasts promised me that once I help them achieve this, they will reveal several common methods for breaking through to the Ten Directions Heaven realm."

"Several? And common methods?" Gu Ya froze, stunned for a long moment before letting out a wry laugh. "It seems the path to the Ten Directions Heaven realm truly isn't a single dead end after all. So, we were all stuck at a confusing intersection."

"Grandfather, I need to speak with some masters from other Life Stars about this matter. I truly feel we should grant the Four Sacred Beasts this favor; helping them is helping ourselves." Ji Changkong stated.

"But will the masters from other Life Stars truly be willing to help? After all, this matter will require considerable effort," Li Hentian frowned. "We must offer them some benefits. Otherwise, even if they agree to help, they won't exert their full power," Ji Changkong mused for a moment. "I plan to grant them access to that unfamiliar continent occupied by the Ancestral Demon. With the help of the Dark Star Clan, that entire stellar region now possesses sufficient 'living star grounds.' If dozens of Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators go there to cultivate, with proper guidance, not a single living star will have its Essence of Stars harvested entirely."

Pausing, Ji Changkong smiled nonchalantly. "Furthermore, given the efficiency of the Dark Star Clan, star essence will be available in the Solar Star Domain within a century. There’s no need for us to cling jealously to that territory. We might as well have them serve us while they still require it."

Upon hearing Ji Changkong’s proposal, Gu Ya and Li Hentian considered it, then both nodded in agreement.

Recently, fleeting light-holes had appeared frequently in the skies above Xuan Yuan Valley, from which one or more Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators would emerge.

These cultivators possessed profound cultivation but were clearly not from the Five Elements Continent. Upon appearing in Xuan Yuan Valley, they would politely proceed to the Ji Family’s Assembly Hall to pay their respects to Gu Ya.

Within a few short days, several Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators from different Life Stars had appeared, moving freely within Xuan Yuan Valley.

Xuan Yuan Valley, already bustling, became even more crowded. Those who heard that masters from other Life Stars had arrived flocked toward the valley from all corners of the world, hoping to catch a glimpse of these remarkable individuals.

Of course, gaining guidance from them, or perhaps trading for treasures from other Life Stars, would make the journey entirely worthwhile.

Xuan Yuan Valley had now become the center of the world, and the Ji Family, the supreme power within it. Every so often, all celestial factions would come to pay homage to the Ji Family to maintain friendly relations.

One day, a light-hole flickered open in the sky over Xuan Yuan Valley, and a woman of cold demeanor yet breathtaking beauty emerged, clad entirely in white.

Trailing behind her, the somewhat embarrassed Meng Gang kept pace, murmuring apologies.

"Hmph! Why didn't that fellow seek me out himself? Instead, he sent you to the Shang Clan. Does he truly wish to avoid me that much?" the beautiful woman asked Meng Gang coldly. She then looked at the familiar scenery of Xuan Yuan Valley and murmured, "Since I left here ten years ago, that fellow hasn't visited the Hailan Continent even once. When I departed, he gave me his word."

"Hehe, Miss Shang, Changkong has been busy, and you have been focused on your cultivation; he is the same," Meng Gang offered placatingly.

"Busy?" Shang Bingjie snorted. "Indeed, he is busy enough—so busy he hasn't left the Poison Dragon Pool. Meng Gang, you have also broken through to the Nine Palaces Heaven realm now, but you were originally from our Hailan Continent too. Why do you insist on staying here?"

"It's convenient," Meng Gang smiled, then inquired, "Shang Bingjie, Changkong is now at the late stage of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm. And you?"

This question made Shang Bingjie stomp her foot in frustration. "Behind him by another step! I... I need at least two more years. It’s infuriating; I was hoping to surpass him in this regard."

"Ahem..." A light cough drifted from the distance. Gu Ya stood elegantly atop the back hill of Xuan Yuan Valley, smiling warmly at Shang Bingjie. "Little girl, it has been a long time since you visited."

"Grandpa Gu," Shang Bingjie replied with perfect decorum, a slight smile replacing her previous coldness.

"Come, come, sit here for a while. Changkong is still utilizing the light-holes to welcome people from other Life Stars. Today is an appointed day; we cannot be careless," Gu Ya chuckled, waving Shang Bingjie over.

Shang Bingjie nodded charmingly and walked over to Gu Ya's side. "Grandpa Gu, how much longer do you think it will take you to break through to the Ten Directions Heaven realm?"

"Perhaps one day, perhaps a lifetime," Gu Ya sighed helplessly. "It's the final step; there's just a thin film left to pierce."

Truly infuriating how others manage to provoke people! I went all the way to the Hailan Continent and finally managed to invite him, only to listen to his complaints the entire journey. Yet, the moment he sees the elder, his face lights up immediately. How can the contrast be so great?

Meng Gang grumbled internally, calculating that he would demand some compensation from Ji Changkong later.

The light-holes in the sky shifted continuously. Before long, several more individuals emerged, all Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators from other Life Stars.

"Everyone, please gather here for now," Gu Ya announced loudly.

The Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators who had just emerged from the light-holes immediately moved toward Gu Ya, quickly followed by those who had arrived earlier and were currently wandering around Xuan Yuan Valley. Soon, all of them were heading toward the Ji Family’s Assembly Hall.

"What exactly is going on? We have been here for quite some time, and we still haven't heard any whispers," one murmured.

"Who knows? But since Xuan Yuan Valley made the request, it must be a major event, or they wouldn't gather so many cultivators like this."

"Heh heh, could it be that the agreed date with the Dark Star Clan is approaching, and they plan to open the living star grounds early?"

"Dream on! It will take at least another hundred years!"

The Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators heading toward the Assembly Hall were all discussing this amongst themselves.

Three months prior, the Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators from the major Life Stars had successively received invitations from Xuan Yuan Valley, requesting their presence for discussion on important matters. Following this, masters from Xuan Yuan Valley personally visited the major Life Stars, and under their guidance, the various masters were brought to Xuan Yuan Valley via light-holes.

Across the vast Solar Star Domain, almost every renowned Nine Palaces Heaven cultivator had received an invitation.

Those who were not invited felt a pang of confusion, secretly wondering if they had done something wrong, and even began discreetly inquiring about the situation. Some were so anxious that they seriously considered making their way to Xuan Yuan Valley on their own.

Unfortunately, the spatial turbulence zones across the Five Elements Continent had all been sealed. Unless Ji Changkong personally intervened to guide them, no one could enter the Five Elements Continent.

As a result, many masters eager to reach Xuan Yuan Valley were left hopeless, murmuring their frustrations. Factions that did not maintain close ties with Xuan Yuan Valley became increasingly worried, fearing that Xuan Yuan Valley was plotting something that would exclude them.

A single invitation from Xuan Yuan Valley had caused suspicion and unrest throughout the entire Solar Star Domain.

There was no helping it; in the Solar Star Domain, Xuan Yuan Valley had, without anyone realizing it, become the single greatest power. Furthermore, because the Dark Star Clan maintained contact exclusively with Xuan Yuan Valley, any Nine Palaces Heaven cultivator hoping to benefit from the Dark Star Clan’s influence had to curry favor with Xuan Yuan Valley.

This had led to a continuous rise in Xuan Yuan Valley’s deterrent power. Subtly, Xuan Yuan Valley had become not only the supreme seat of power on the Five Elements Continent but also the heartland for the major Life Stars in the Solar Star Domain, with all major faction leaders looking to Xuan Yuan Valley for direction.

"Everyone, please remain calm. We will provide an explanation today," Gu Ya called out broadly, gesturing for everyone to enter the Assembly Hall temporarily.

Following Gu Ya's summons, the masters from the various Life Stars of the Solar Star Domain entered the Assembly Hall one by one, silently awaiting something.

After a while longer, the light-holes in the sky gradually vanished. Then, a young man with a subtle smile walked into the Assembly Hall with unhurried grace.

The doors of the hall closed, and the various restrictions carved into the walls immediately activated.

In an instant, the hall was completely isolated from the outside world, as if becoming an independent space, immune to all external interference. No one outside could hear a single word spoken within.

Under the gaze of everyone present, Ji Changkong walked to the central seat of the Assembly Hall with a faint smile, sweeping his gaze over the assembled group, and cheerfully stated, "Everyone is here."

"Hmph!" Shang Bingjie, seated below, shot him a glare and snorted dismissively.

Ji Changkong chuckled awkwardly, feigning not to notice, and continued, "The reason I have invited everyone here today is to ask for your assistance with a favor. Upon completion, every participant will be permitted to reside in a living star ground for three months. However much Star Essence you can gain within those three months will depend on your own fortune."

At these words, all the gathered Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators displayed exceptional delight, rushing to express that no matter the task, they would—

These individuals had long heard rumors that Xuan Yuan Valley possessed the means to find living star grounds for cultivation. Otherwise, why was it that in the past twenty years, while Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators elsewhere saw no progress, the cultivators of Xuan Yuan Valley had broken through so rapidly, with almost every one of them having cultivated through the majority of their acupoints?

Some of the earlier Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators had even refined all their acupoints completely!

What did this signify?

It signified that Xuan Yuan Valley must possess an abundance of Star Essence for cultivation!

Once they connected this fact to the origins of the Dark Star Clan and the relationship between the Dark Star Clan and Xuan Yuan Valley, these masters immediately guessed that in the Dark Star Clan's homeland, there must be places available for Xuan Yuan Valley's experts to cultivate.

While their guess was not entirely accurate, it was close to the truth.

However, even though they clearly knew Xuan Yuan Valley possessed ample Star Essence for cultivation, they were helpless and dared not aggressively demand anything from Xuan Yuan Valley; they could only listen for rumors discreetly.

After all, Xuan Yuan Valley was no longer the obscure minor place it once was. Merely considering the marvel of Ji Changkong's Ancient Nine Transformations Grand Array was enough to deter most from plotting against Xuan Yuan Valley.

Coupled with Xuan Yuan Valley's inherent formidable strength, its close relationship with the Dark Star Clan, and the support of the Shang Clan, Fei Hua, and Jin Wang Mountain, no reckless faction dared to cross Xuan Yuan Valley.

Besides, the Dark Star Clan had also made it known that in a few more centuries, the entire Solar Star Domain would no longer need to worry about Star Essence, and since the lifespan of a Nine Palaces Heaven cultivator reached nine hundred years, there was no immediate urgency.

However, achieving the peak of the Nine Palaces Heaven realm even faster would naturally be preferable, especially without offending Xuan Yuan Valley.

Therefore, hearing Ji Changkong’s proposal, these masters were moved and immediately showed interest.

Even before Ji Changkong stated the nature of the task, they stepped forward to declare their stance.

This stemmed partly from the hope in their hearts and partly from Xuan Yuan Valley's established reputation for never acting excessively, which fostered deep trust in them.

Ji Changkong was pleased with their attitude. His eyes swept over the assembled group before he nodded and smiled. "With everyone’s help, I believe this matter should be a near certainty."

"We will listen to whatever you say," the crowd responded in unison.

Not a single dissenting voice was raised.

Ji Changkong was momentarily stunned, then truly felt reassured.

Over the following half-year, these Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators from other Life Stars were utilized by Ji Changkong, traversing various regions of the Five Elements Continent. No one knew exactly what they were doing.

Occasionally, some people would observe strange, anomalous changes in the environment of the Five Elements Continent.

Some volcanoes, dormant for centuries, began erupting lava. Some vast, level plains frequently experienced earthquakes of varying magnitudes. Even some mountains within mountain ranges collapsed overnight.

In every area experiencing environmental upheaval, the figures of those Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators could be spotted moving about.

Vaguely, many people began to understand that these environmental changes were connected to those cultivators. And since all these cultivators originated from Xuan Yuan Valley, the implication became clear: Xuan Yuan Valley was manipulating all of this from behind the scenes.

However, despite the frequent environmental shifts across various regions, not a single cultivator, nor even a mortal, lost their life.

Usually, before an environmental change occurred, the local celestial forces would withdraw. Areas inhabited by mortals would either receive warnings to evacuate temporarily, or several Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators would join forces to envelop the mortal settlements, preventing anyone from approaching.

As a result, although environmental changes continued to happen, the cultivators and mortals of the Five Elements Continent gradually grew accustomed to them.

Another year passed, and the environmental anomalies on the Five Elements Continent grew more frequent. The earth began to crack open into massive fissures, and seawater started encroaching upon the land. Some small hills were even submerged by the rising waters.

Even several isolated islands in the East Sea vanished beneath the waves overnight.

Some cultivators who had reached the Four Symbols Heaven realm, while meditating with closed eyes, gradually perceived that the auras of the Four Sacred Beasts were growing stronger and stronger, now enveloping the entire Five Elements Continent without anyone noticing, and their power increased daily.

Yet, as the aura of the Four Sacred Beasts intensified, the difficulty in communicating with them paradoxically grew.

There were even many masters of the Four Symbols Heaven realm who could formerly communicate with the Sacred Beasts, but recently, they could no longer reach the spiritual consciousness of the beasts.

However, the presence of the Sacred Beasts permeated the very fabric of the world.

This strange situation persisted for two years, finally giving way to three or four months of calm across the Five Elements Continent. The recent abnormal phenomena seemed to have completely vanished, and the continent returned to its quiet state.

And those Nine Palaces Heaven cultivators from other Life Stars who had been active on the Five Elements Continent had, during this period, successively returned to their homelands from Xuan Yuan Valley.

The East Sea.

Deep beneath the ocean floor, in a peculiar region carpeted with coral, several faint lights gradually appeared. They marked the location of Ji Changkong, Gu Ya, Li Hentian, Po Ke, Shang Bingjie, and others.

This group consisted partly of experts from Xuan Yuan Valley and partly of individuals with profound ties to Xuan Yuan Valley who were absolutely trustworthy.

"Is today the day?" Shang Bingjie glanced at Ji Changkong beside her and asked softly.

Ji Changkong nodded solemnly. "It is today. I truly hope everything goes smoothly."

"There shouldn't be any issues, right? We have expended so much manpower and resources over these years, finally breaking through every restriction that bound their power. According to You Jue's account, there should be no problem," Gu Ya said, deep in thought, then sighed. "I never imagined the Four Sacred Beasts would use their own power to seal themselves off merely to defend against being killed by the ancient masters. Alas, it is truly pitiable."

"They had no choice. The ancient masters they instructed possessed a power that surpassed their own ability to control. To avoid the fate of being slain, they resorted to this extreme measure. It is regrettable that the act of sealing themselves consumed too much of their power. After sleeping for so many years, they require external stimulus to break the seal. Fortunately, we received their guidance; otherwise, even knowing the seal existed, we might not have been able to remove it," Ji Changkong commented.

Po Ke, meanwhile, displayed an expression of excitement. "To have the chance to witness these ancient lifeforms—truly good fortune! Legend says that very few of these primeval beings survived the Great Destruction. The vast majority of ancient lifeforms have hidden themselves away in the Dead Star Domain, and even the Ten Directions Heaven masters residing there rarely encounter them."

"It is indeed our great fortune to witness the colossal forms of these ancient beings," Gu Ya chuckled.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The water in front of them let out a strange whistling sound, as if the ocean itself was beginning to churn.

On the surface of the East Sea, the calm waters whipped into massive, towering waves. Anyone who approached this specific area would find the ocean suddenly becoming violently aggressive, displaying its most ferocious aspect.

Beneath the seabed, the sand and mud began to churn violently, and the dense seawater, mixed with sediment, surged outward in all directions.

The colossal aura emanating from the Four Sacred Beasts surged up from beneath the earth, a terrifying immensity that any Nine Palace Celestial Master who had cultivated a Divine Soul could immediately perceive.

It was as if the power that had existed since before the dawn of time was finally preparing to break through the soil.

“Be careful. Although they won’t intentionally harm us, the residual power radiating from them carries immense destructive force. Everyone, stay alert and avoid being caught in the shockwaves,” Ji Changkong cautioned the group before ascending slightly higher into the air.

Following his reminder, all the Nine Palace Celestial Masters rose a short distance towards the sea surface, then stared down into the depths with wide eyes.

Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

A deafening roar erupted from below. Finally, the seabed within a hundred-mile defense perimeter began to split open, forming massive fissures. Amidst the violent boiling of seawater, colossal dark silhouettes started flashing within those immense chasms.

Boom!

The earth continued to tear apart, and a rift dozens of miles long widened further.

At last, a gigantic, deep pit materialized from the subterranean realm. Seawater surged violently downward, yet under shafts of brilliant light, this rushing water was thrown back upward toward the sky.

“Look!” Shang Bingjie pointed below, her face etched with sheer horror. “It’s coming out! What—what is this?”

A behemoth, shimmering with azure light, gradually emerged from the vast pit. The ferocious dragon head alone, even partially revealed, spanned dozens of acres, comparable in size to a large mansion.

Its two eyes, each the size of a house, pierced the gloom of the seabed, flashing with intelligence.

A soul-piercing dragon might instantly saturated the entire seabed, causing a tremor in everyone’s hearts. The moment their souls relaxed, they felt as if their very essence was being crushed beneath a colossal mountain, leaving them utterly powerless.

“It’s enormous!” Dick exclaimed, his face alight with excitement. “This is an Ancient Lifeform! So vast, it’s comparable to some massive meteorites!”

“Heavens above!” Xiao Poshuan stood dumbfounded. Though he knew the Four Sacred Beasts were immensely large, witnessing it firsthand left him speechless with shock. If just the head of that Sacred Beast, the Azure Dragon, was as big as a small mountain, how truly immense must its entire body be?

The gargantuan dragon body, seemingly without end, slowly manifested from the deep pit, following the emergence of its head. The body appeared endless, taking a full hour to gradually reveal itself from the depths.

The dragon tail unfurled, covered in dark-colored scales that shimmered with an arcane luster, giving an impression of absolute invulnerability.

An overwhelming, primordial energy of Wood flowed from the dragon’s body. The Azure Dragon’s presence extended across the seabed, seemingly piercing the entire East Sea. A few Nine Palace Celestial Masters gazing upon it could not see its end.

After a rough estimation, Ji Changkong was certain that the body of the Sacred Beast Azure Dragon stretched perhaps from the Shuiyun Kingdom all the way to the Tianwu Kingdom.

It truly resembled a chain of unending mountain ranges!

A while later, another titan forced the original pit to burst open entirely, expanding the aperture to several hundred acres in size. A massive entity resembling a turtle merged with a snake slowly crawled out of the pit that now spanned hundreds of acres. A mighty surge of Five Elements Water energy instantly flooded the area.

“Xuanwu! That is the Sacred Beast Xuanwu,” Shang Bingjie cried out in delight. Deeply sensing the aura emanating from it, she murmured, “Xuanwu, the Sacred Beast representing the ultimate power of the Five Elements Water—God! What a terrifying Life Field!”

Whoosh! Whoosh whoosh!

From the distant ocean, another colossal aura began to spread, though this one did not originate from the Four Sacred Beasts.

“Sea Demons! The Sea Demons are coming!” Ji Changkong gasped in horror, his heart lurching violently as he cried out.