In an obscure stellar region of the Pan-Empire, the Foul Dragon, the flagship of the Scarlet Dragon, lay hidden, its outer hull barely emitting a faint crimson glow from behind a massive asteroid.

Inside the Flame Dragon Star, within a spacious quiet room, the four walls were constructed of slender, vibrant green bamboo shoots, while the floor and ceiling were paved with pale silver bamboo strips. Entirely devoid of high-tech ornamentation, the space exuded an extreme elegance and tranquility—a perfect sanctuary for meditation and cultivation. At the very center of the room rested a meditation cushion woven from bamboo leaves, upon which Gu Xichen sat cross-legged. Two streams of profound yellow energy puffed from his nostrils, and his entire body was enveloped in a hazy, intermingling mist of black and yellow.

The first layer of the pagoda had become perfectly smooth and lustrous, utterly seamless, encased in a heavy shroud of black and yellow light. The Haotian Pagoda hovered above Gu Xichen's head, continuously spewing torrents of profound yellow energy from its gate, feeding it ceaselessly into his Celestial Spirit (Tian Ling). Five-colored currents of energy rushed up from his Celestial Spirit only to be drawn back into the Haotian Pagoda. The air in the quiet room churned with billowing energy waves, and the surrounding space rippled like water disturbed by the strange, marvelous phenomenon.

The Heavenly Emperor (Haotian Shangdi) was established by the Great Dao as the sovereign of all sentient life in this world's myriad heavenly cycles. He was the supreme, unparalleled being who governed the Three Realms and held ultimate authority over life and death across Heaven, Earth, and Man. His destiny was intrinsically linked to the myriad life forms of the heavenly cycles. So long as the life forms of the cycles endured, the Heavenly Emperor would exist eternally. The profound yellow energy was formed from the concentrated will-power of all sentient beings. This accumulation then coalesced into the Heavenly Emperor’s innate, natal artifact: the Haotian Pagoda.

The Indestructible Profound Yellow Body was forged by tempering the physical form with the profound yellow energy—the accumulated will of all sentient life gathered within the Haotian Pagoda. Though it might lack world-shattering destructive power, it possessed the supreme divine ability of eternal resilience against myriad tribulations. Upon achieving the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body, all methods and spells were repelled, all wickedness was resisted; water could not soak it, fire could not burn it, and no weapon—be it blade, spear, sword, or halberd—could scar even a single hair on that body.

If one could cultivate this technique to its highest level, every movement would draw upon the profound yellow energy of the heavenly cycles. Where the thoughts of all beings converged, the power to overturn heaven and earth would manifest. At that realm, no formation in the cosmos could bind him, no curse could harm him. If anyone dared harbor murderous intent or disrespect toward one possessing the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body, the Heavenly Dao would descend various tribulations, or directly obliterate them into ash with heavenly punishment. It was terrifyingly potent.

This technique for the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body was known only to the Heavenly Emperor within the Myriad Cycles World. This method conflicted with no other cultivation technique; instead, it augmented all others, adding a degree of power out of thin air. Gu Xichen’s cultivation of the Supreme Yin True Scripture ultimately condensed the Supreme Yin True Body, whose Yin energy was supremely soft and resilient. Already an unparalleled physical form that was nearly impossible to destroy, cultivating the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body was like giving wings to a tiger, or like a carp leaping the Dragon Gate, gathering wind and clouds to transform into a true celestial dragon, no longer comparable to mere mortals.

Even the Great Lord of Supreme Yin (Taiyin Zhenjun) of old had his Supreme Yin True Body shatter and perish under a siege by enemies. Had he possessed the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body, the tables would surely have turned that day.

The Haotian Pagoda continuously gathered the profound yellow energy of the heavenly cycles, gradually infusing it into Gu Xichen’s body. He silently followed the foundational formula of the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body, integrating the profound yellow energy into his system, slowly refining his flesh. Every cell in his body began to fuse with the profound yellow energy. Gradually, a black and yellow light began to surface deep within Gu Xichen’s skin. Furthermore, an imposing aura of kingly dominance, so majestic it forbade direct gaze, began to emanate from him.

The Supreme Yin cultivation technique adhered to the properties of Yin energy; it was supremely yin and supremely yielding. While it possessed the might of vast, surging tides, more often it emphasized softness and pliancy. However, after mastering the primary aspects of the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body technique, the impression Gu Xichen gave shifted: beneath the ultimate yin and coldness, a measure of kingly authority now resided. It was as if a battalion of armored troops had abruptly appeared in the middle of a boundless ocean, adding a tangible sense of martial energy; or as if steel bones had been inserted into a mere shell of flesh, hardening and strengthening the physique considerably. Even his temperament was subtly altered under the influence of the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body.

Days turned into weeks, and when even the strands of Gu Xichen’s hair began to gleam with a black and yellow sheen, the foundational cultivation for the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body was complete.

Reabsorbing the Haotian Pagoda into his Sea of Consciousness, Gu Xichen opened his eyes and let out a sharp whistle. He sprang to his feet, sweeping his long robes wide, and executed the most rudimentary set of self-nurturing Tai Chi within the room. The movements, originally as gentle and endless as water ripples, now inexplicably carried a fierce, dominant strength. The transition between yielding softness and rigid strength was fluid; sometimes soft, sometimes strong, or with both intents coexisting. As he moved, his fists cut through the air, producing subtle, rhythmic pa-pa sounds.

Finishing the set of Tai Chi, Gu Xichen had completely grasped the changes within his body. He nodded with satisfaction, reached out, and condensed a single drop of Kui Water Yin Thunder.

Only when demonstrating this spell did he notice the subtle difference from before. Although the Kui Water Yin Thunder was merely the most basic lightning technique from the Supreme Yin True Scripture, normally, condensing one was not as natural as breathing; it materialized almost instantly upon his thought. Moreover, this Kui Water Yin Thunder contained one and a half tenths more Kui Water essence than usual, and its density had increased by about ten percent. Cumulatively, this single Yin Thunder was about forty percent more powerful than his standard output.

He extinguished the thunder with a casual flick of his hand and proceeded to practice his other proficient techniques one by one. Regardless of the discipline, everything was now faster, lighter, easier, and more perfectly fluid. Having the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body technique felt akin to shedding hundreds of pounds of heavy burden; his whole body felt supremely nimble.

Letting out three loud laughs to the heavens, Gu Xichen walked with hands clasped behind his back in a four-cornered stride to the doorway of the quiet room. His gaze swept over the general of the Flame Dragon Empire’s Imperial Guard, who stood duty outside.

“Take me to His Majesty, the Scarlet Dragon!” Gu Xichen’s eyes sharpened, and a tangible pressure descended upon the general. The Guard general, who possessed a Cultivation of the Void Realm, instinctively snapped to attention, grunted once, and turned to lead Gu Xichen toward the resting chamber of Chi Long Lieyan.

Only after they had traveled a considerable distance did the Guard general suddenly realize his back was slick with cold sweat. Why had he obeyed Gu Xichen’s command almost instinctively? It was as if he were obeying a decree from Chi Long Lieyan himself, submitting without the slightest objection, almost as if in a trance?

Gu Xichen, however, felt no surprise. He followed behind the Guard general with his hands clasped, sensing that everything was exactly as it should be. This lowly Guard general, before him, ought to bow and obey. A mere commoner of the Void Realm, one who hadn't even refined an Immortal Body—he was obligated to follow Gu Xichen’s orders. Gu Xichen’s command was the Dao itself to him!

The peculiar effects of the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body were gradually revealing themselves, but Gu Xichen, caught within the experience, was still unaware.

Soon, Gu Xichen arrived before Chi Long Lieyan, who was deeply immersed in a mountain of official documents. Wielding an electronic stylus, Chi Long Lieyan’s face was contorted in what looked like murderous intent as he viciously attacked the digital reports, grinding his teeth while cursing the mothers of every administrative official in the Flame Dragon Empire. Occasionally, he would also send passionate greetings to his own father, several uncles, his grandfather, and all elders senior to him in generation.

From his mumbled self-talk, it was clear he was furious because his cultivation was the weakest, yet he was forcibly shoved onto the throne. If he had refused, his elder brothers would have ganged up on him and broken both his legs.

He had been forced into the role of emperor, truly the unluckiest and most innocent emperor in the world. He had to handle countless documents every day—how tiresome! Wasn't it much more comfortable to find a beautiful, auspicious spot to cultivate in seclusion?

It was only a pity that none of his nine sons were up to par. The strongest among them had only reached the peak of the Nascent Soul stage. He couldn't possibly push the throne onto them until they reached the peak of the Void Realm; otherwise, they might be assassinated one day. From Nascent Soul peak to Void Realm peak required him to toil for several hundred more years! Being emperor was just too hard; why was his cultivation the weakest of them all?

Gu Xichen shook his head. Having no imperial resolve, it was a miracle the Flame Dragon Empire's royal family hadn't been overthrown despite such internal chaos.

Clearing his throat, Gu Xichen tapped forcefully on the desk in front of Chi Long Lieyan: "Your Majesty Scarlet Dragon, shouldn't we depart? My seclusion lasted for eleven months!"

Chi Long Lieyan blinked, cheered, and flung the electronic stylus far away. He roared, summoning Zhiye Lieyan. In record time, he granted Zhiye Lieyan temporary authorization, dumping all his unprocessed documents onto him, then excitedly grabbed Gu Xichen and hurried off.

Rushing toward the hangar bay of the Flame Dragon Star, Chi Long Lieyan shouted back over his shoulder, "Son! If you want to emulate those princes from the Polaris Empire planning usurpation, I’m handing you the opportunity! The Imperial Seal is on my nightstand, the Military Seal Fish is in the cold storage right next to that bottle of Golden Shade Fruit Wine, and I’ve given you all the authority to mobilize troops! Go ahead and seize the throne. I won't blame you! Ahahaha!"

Accompanied by maniacal laughter that sent chills down Gu Xichen’s spine, Chi Long Lieyan dragged him into the hangar. They selected a small, high-speed warship, only about two hundred meters long, and shot away from the Flame Dragon Star.

Chi Long Lieyan explained his actions by saying he couldn't risk using the Flame Dragon Star near that top-secret location. The value of that strange creature, recorded only in the secret annals of the Imperial Family, was immense. If he used the Flame Dragon Star to rush over, he might not even capture the beast alive before his elders, alerted by the commotion, arrived to claim a share. An even greater possibility was that even before his elders received word, the Sect Elder Council might intervene...

"The Sect Elder Council?" Gu Xichen looked at Chi Long Lieyan in surprise.

The moment the word "Sect Elder Council" left his lips, Chi Long Lieyan’s outburst ceased abruptly, and his face turned pale. He glanced nervously around and urgently hissed, "Shh."

Since only Gu Xichen and Chi Long Lieyan were aboard the warship, Chi Long Lieyan finally relaxed and let out a heavy breath.

Lowering his voice, Chi Long Lieyan cursed softly, "That's a damned entity. In short, never mention to anyone that you know of its existence, because the person you’re talking to might be a descendant of the Sect Elder Council. I curse those damned bloodlines."

Gu Xichen looked at Chi Long Lieyan, perplexed. The current Chi Long Lieyan was completely different from his usual demeanor. What could cause him such dread?

Chi Long Lieyan’s face flushed crimson. He stomped his foot lightly but absolutely refused to say anything more concerning the Sect Elder Council. He looked apologetically at Gu Xichen, spreading his hands to indicate his helplessness on the matter. Gu Xichen smiled, signaling that he wasn't bothered by the topic.

With a tap and a press of his finger, a white crystal sphere, about the size of a human head, emerged from the floor panel of the command cabin. Chi Long Lieyan reached out and stroked the sphere, setting the warship's course. He turned back to Gu Xichen, hesitating to speak, then nodding firmly after a long pause. "If you have the chance, capture a few key figures from the major families of the Polaris Empire alive. They certainly know what the Sect Elder Council is. Unlike the lower-level civilizations beneath us, many among them have forgotten the origins of their bloodline, yet we constantly deal with their envoys."

Gu Xichen frowned, filing the information away. Would the high-ranking officials of the Polaris Empire know about the Sect Elder Council? Good.

However, he followed up on Chi Long Lieyan’s previous words and asked, "Then, what is the problem with Your Majesty Scarlet Dragon's flagship, the Flame Dragon Star?"

After a period of silence, Chi Long Lieyan said gravely, "No six-star civilization is allowed to construct a Death Star. My Flame Dragon Star was exchanged from the Sect Elder Council using a hundred bloodline merits. The commotion when that beast is born will absolutely trigger the detection devices they pre-set on the Flame Dragon Star. Hmph, they are quite interested in that kind of thing, too."

Gu Xichen said no more. It was clear Chi Long Lieyan was quite sensitive about these matters. There was no need to press him. Capturing a few members of the Polaris Empire’s major families would yield the answers. Why trouble an ally he had just befriended?

The intelligence that all Death Star warships belonging to six-star civilizations had to be redeemed from the Sect Elder Council alone was enough reason for Gu Xichen to help Chi Long Lieyan hunt that unknown creature.

The warship followed a secret route for three days and three nights. After navigating a colossal sub-space tidal surge, the visibly frustrated Chi Long Lieyan suddenly stated without preamble:

"Do you know why none of our Flame Dragon Empire royals want to be emperor? Because our personalities aren't suited to being subservient grandsons."

Gu Xichen stared at Chi Long Lieyan, then nodded in understanding. No wonder Chi Long Lieyan had stayed on the Flame Dragon Star dealing with state affairs for the eleven months Gu Xichen was in seclusion. He hadn't even returned to the Flame Dragon capital; apparently, he too was avoiding certain individuals.

After this statement, Chi Long Lieyan fell silent. It wasn't until half a month later, when the warship jumped out of the subspace realm via a spatial warp point, that he quietly said to Gu Xichen, "Once I kill that beast and reconstruct my body, my cultivation won't be at the bottom of the clan. Then, I’ll pass the throne to one of my unlucky brothers and let him suffer that tedious nonsense."

Gu Xichen looked at Chi Long Lieyan for a long time before finally laughing, "No wonder Zhiye isn't threatened by Xuanwu Asura."

Chi Long Lieyan puffed out his chest proudly: "We of the Lieyan family never submit to anyone’s threats! I, the emperor, am constantly running around the world, and I don't even know where the rest of my clan members have scattered to. If the Sect Elder Council wants us to be grandsons, they have to find us first!"

After a few hearty laughs, Chi Long Lieyan placed a hand on the crystal sphere and piloted the warship past two planetary systems, plunging into an extremely dense belt of stardust.

The sensors rapidly fed back external data. This stardust belt contained extremely powerful Fire-attribute spiritual energy, and the concentration increased the deeper they flew into the belt. Upon entering the edge of the stardust belt, the temperature already exceeded five thousand degrees. After flying inward for another day and night, the temperature within the vessel reached an astonishing one hundred thousand degrees, and the density of the stardust became terrifying... even a single grain of stardust weighed several tons.

Chi Long Lieyan abandoned the warship, leading Gu Xichen to fly into the interior of the stardust belt using their physical bodies. The warship had reached its limit here; it could not venture further without activating energy shields. But activating the shields would disturb the stability of the energy in the stardust belt, causing massive energy turbulence. Under the impact of such high-density stardust flows, the warship would certainly be destroyed.

Activating the prohibitions on the Supreme Yin Robe, a wave of water materialized, enveloping his entire body. As Chi Long Lieyan carefully flew forward for several hundred thousand li, Gu Xichen could no longer hold back his question: "Your Majesty Scarlet Dragon, are there only the two of us here?"

Chi Long Lieyan replied without turning his head, "No. I invited other helpers. However, their cultivation isn't very high, and the chance of success isn't great, which is why I eagerly invited you to be the Empire’s Guest Official. Unfortunately, I dare not seek help from my kin group; otherwise, they would claim more than half of the vital essence, leaving me with barely enough to use. I have to rely on external forces."

Pursing his lips, Chi Long Lieyan grumbled somewhat angrily, "My kin are a bunch of bastards. And I count myself as one. None of them want the hard work of being emperor, but the moment there’s a benefit, they all rush in to snatch it. Whoever has the bigger fist gets the spoils. In a contest of fists, how can I beat those old geezers? It’s clearly a losing game for me."

Gu Xichen was rendered speechless again. He realized the royal family of the Flame Dragon Empire was truly too endearing—endearing to the point of exasperation.

Perhaps a bit simple-minded, these people possessed a true, childlike heart, making one genuinely want to associate with them.

Flying forward at great speed for nearly ten million li, even Gu Xichen’s magical power began to strain slightly during the advance. The void here was filled with countless fine particles of stardust, each weighing hundreds of tons. While flying, he had to use his divine sense to push the stardust aside, and he couldn't move too violently—it was truly a strenuous task.

The surrounding temperature had soared to tens of millions of degrees. Threads of faint purple-green Pure Yang Heavenly Fire, as thin as hair, began to dance and weave in the void, forming a vast net. Gu Xichen’s divine sense recoiled instantly upon the slightest contact with these heavenly fires; the temperature was so high that even an ordinary Immortal Artifact would likely melt into slag upon touching them.

Chi Long Lieyan's movements became noticeably more cautious. He carefully guided Gu Xichen around wave after wave of heavenly fire, sneaking forward several million li. Suddenly, the front brightened, revealing a small planetoid about ten thousand meters in diameter. A bamboo house, consisting of three main halls and two rows of side chambers, stood bolted to the planet's surface. Several Daoists in flowing azure robes and high crowns, along with several bald monks, were gathered in the courtyard before the main door of the bamboo house, loudly shouting and gambling with Weizi (dice) around a table.

Gu Xichen looked at the jade cup and the three thumb-sized white jade dice on the round table with great surprise—yes, they were indeed gambling.

Chi Long Lieyan burst into laughter, shooting forward in a trail of firelight, shouting, "Bearded Taoist! Bald donkey! Has anything happened yet?"

Gu Xichen followed closely behind, his divine sense having already scanned the seven Daoists and four monks. Their cultivation levels were all above the Tribulation Period but below the True Immortal Realm—or, rather, they had one foot already planted in the Grand Sovereign Heaven. However, seven or eight tenths of the true essence within their bodies had yet to transform into the ethereal xian qi unique to Immortals, meaning their actual strength was equivalent to only about ten percent of a low-grade True Immortal.

Seeing the two descend, the Daoists and monks also laughed heartily and greeted them. They embraced and playfully slapped Chi Long Lieyan for a while, joking around without any pretense of seriousness. Then, the fattest, stoutest monk pointed curiously at Gu Xichen and asked, "Old Emperor, who is this?"

Chi Long Lieyan patted the monk's enormous paunch and said with a grin, "Daoist Evil Dragon, a good friend. He’s a new Imperial Guest Official I recruited—very strong, a genuine Grand Sovereign Heaven master. You lot put together aren't worth one of his hands."

Not wishing to reveal too much information about Gu Xichen, Chi Long Lieyan smoothly changed the topic, pointing to the monks and Daoists. "Evil Dragon, these are a few of my good friends. The Seven Star Dao Lords of the Taiyi Sect of the Daoist Gate; they are blood brothers and also the current seven sect masters of the Taiyi Sect. Conveniently, their father is the Minister of Logistics for the Flame Dragon Empire's Ministry of War."

Gu Xiechen and the Taoist of the Seven Stars bowed respectfully. Chi Longlie Yan then pointed at the four stout, corpulent monks and chuckled, "The Four Joys Vajras are also my good friends. Their grandfather is the current Grand Minister of Finance of the Blazing Dragon Empire. Well, they cultivate the Esoteric Joyful Zen Path. Every young prodigy in the Blazing Dragon Empire wishes they could tear them apart upon seeing them. How many beautiful virgins in the imperial capital of Blazing Dragon Domain have they ruined? Tsk, these four monks are no good; ignore them."

The four stout monks grew angry upon hearing this. They violently shook the mounds of pale flesh covering their bodies. After their meat wobbled, they shouted accusations at Chi Longlie Yan. Though the four monks were tall and imposing, they were petty and maliciously dredged up the most shameful secrets from Chi Longlie Yan's youth. Gu Xiechen listened with keen enjoyment, while Chi Longlie Yan’s face flushed scarlet, and he gesticulated so wildly that he nearly drew his saber to kill them.

After much clamor, the group finally stumbled back into the courtyard in a tangled mess. A large monk chuckled and tucked the discarded tea bowl back into his sleeve. Chi Longlie Yan ostentatiously produced his supreme Qing Si Jin Lu tea and began boasting again about its exquisite taste and the abundant spiritual energy it supplemented.

Gu Xiechen truly did not wish to drink that tea, which felt like blades against his tongue. He silently retrieved a set of teaware and took out several pounds of the top-grade immortal tea, "White Velvet Monkey Paw," sourced from the tea mountain within the Netherworld Fan. Under Chi Longlie Yan’s astonished gaze, Gu Xiechen rapidly boiled the Frost Water Essence condensed from True One Profound Water, brewed a pot of White Velvet Monkey Paw, and poured a cup for everyone.

The thumb-sized leaves of the White Velvet Monkey Paw slowly unfurled in the clear liquid derived from the True One Profound Water Essence. Covered in white down, the leaves resembled the palms of spiritual apes. Wisps of white fur floated in the water, and visible white spiritual energy spouted from the down, stirring up a dozen tiny whirlpools in the tea. A slow, exquisite fragrance wafted forth, compelling everyone to take a deep breath.

Chi Longlie Yan, his face contorted, sipped the sweet, profound tea. He felt an initial chill that swiftly transformed into a warm rush spreading through his abdomen. The strength depleted during their journey through the countless star-dust fragments was already almost entirely replenished, and even the mental fatigue from prolonged flight vanished suddenly, leaving him feeling completely refreshed.

"Good, excellent tea!" Chi Longlie Yan exclaimed, naturally crushing the packet of Qing Si Jin Lu he had been guarding into ash. He then carelessly swept up the large packet of White Velvet Monkey Paw from Gu Xiechen’s table and stuffed it into his storage bracelet.

Gu Xiechen smiled but remained silent, though the Taoist of the Seven Stars and the Four Joys Monks were clearly displeased. They hurriedly took a sip of the tea, and their bodies instantly stiffened. Their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Immediately afterward, they both cried out and lunged at Chi Longlie Yan, using both hands to wrestle him to the ground. The two fat monks collaborated, fiercely yanking at Chi Longlie Yan’s bracelet to pull it off.

A group of highly cultivated individuals became entangled like brawling street thugs. Gu Xiechen sat aside, watching with a sense of wry amusement.

Still, he was genuinely happy for Chi Longlie Yan. As the Emperor of the Blazing Dragon Empire, it was truly rare to possess friends who dared to tussle and joke with him so freely.

As the group twisted together, even beginning to hurl vulgarities and insults at each other, the asteroid beneath their feet suddenly trembled, instantly disintegrating into countless fine star-dust fragments that scattered outwards with a piercing roar. At the densest point ahead, a burst of red light rapidly expanded, and everywhere it passed, the star-dust melted into wisps of green smoke and purple fire, merging into the red glow. A terrifying, colossal life aura surged upward from ahead, churning the field of star-dust into chaos.

"Damn it, why the all-out effort?" Chi Longlie Yan roared, a golden light suddenly erupting from him, shaking off the Seven Stars and Four Monks who were pressing him down. He hurriedly summoned a cloud of fire and shot towards the origin of the life aura.

He departed with such haste that he even deployed the Starry Sky Great Teleportation, vanishing in a flash.

Gu Xiechen’s figure shook, and simultaneously, he executed a Starry Sky Great Teleportation, chasing right after Chi Longlie Yan into the already chaotic star-dust.

The Seven Stars and Four Monks roared in unison, sending out over a dozen streaks of cold light, exerting all their strength to follow. They also used Starry Sky Great Teleportation to advance, but their frequency and distance of each jump were far inferior to the pair ahead, and within a few breaths, they were left far behind.

While accelerating at full speed, Chi Longlie Yan, flying swiftly ahead, suddenly shrieked, and his robe, which had been spewing red flames, burst into scattered debris. His Immortal Stray Body was pierced with three massive holes, and he retreated backward, spraying pale golden blood. Gu Xiechen’s vision brightened as countless sharp energies suddenly shot forth from ahead. Countless transparent crystals, the size of mung beans and entirely crimson, enveloped in fist-sized clusters of purple heavenly fire, erupted from the star-dust like thunderbolts, shooting toward Gu Xiechen with incredible speed.

Chi Longlie Yan urgently shouted for Gu Xiechen to be careful, warning that these red crystals possessed immense destructive power, extreme weight, and searing heat. His protective garment had been shattered by these crystals, and his body had been impaled by three of them, creating gashes the size of large bowls. Chi Longlie Yan, whose Immortal Stray Body lacked sufficient defense, was terrified by this sudden assault and hastily retreated.

Gu Xiechen, however, moved forward with delight. What rushed toward him was the top-grade Heavenly Fire Gold Sand, the hardest and sharpest among acquired fire-attribute materials. Although it was fire-attribute material, it combined the sharpness and density of refined metal essence, making it a supreme material for forging flying swords and magical treasures. Essentially, all supreme fire-attribute immortal artifacts contained Heavenly Fire Gold Sand.

He waved and swept his hands forward, his left and right sleeves simultaneously swirling outwards, creating vortexes of grey-white, poisonous cold energy. Countless pieces of Heavenly Fire Gold Sand were drawn into the two vortexes, emitting sharp "poof, poof" sounds. Every grain of Heavenly Fire Gold Sand enveloped by the Taiyin Qi was coated in a layer of white, semi-transparent profound ice. The Heavenly Fire Gold Sand, along with the flames covering it, was sealed by the profound ice and obediently slipped along Gu Xiechen’s hands into his Azure Lotus Ring.

There was an immense amount of Heavenly Fire Gold Sand here; in just a few breaths, Gu Xiechen collected at least hundreds of thousands of grains.

Chi Longlie Yan, having regained his composure, quickly circulated his true essence to repair his injuries. He then hastily saluted Gu Xiechen and plunged back into the depths of the star-dust.

Gu Xiechen quickly followed, his sleeves swirling out a swath of white vortexes before him. Countless incoming Heavenly Fire Gold Sand grains, along with fire clusters and energies of all sizes, vanished without a trace. Chi Longlie Yan also took out a palm-sized, burning flame-shaped bronze token. He infused it with true essence, activating ten thousand streaks of red light and purple energy that shot forward. These clashed against the myriad Heavenly Fire Gold Sand grains, sparking a sky full of fire and light, forcibly carving a passage through the star-dust.

After this momentary halt, the Seven Stars and Four Monks caught up, and the group consolidated. With the most powerful cultivator, Gu Xiechen, clearing the path, and Chi Longlie Yan assisting from behind with the Flame Token, the group pushed forward arduously through increasingly dense star-dust and various heavenly fires and flames.

Chi Longlie Yan grumbled in exasperation. He was complaining that his previous exploratory ventures had not been nearly this difficult or dangerous; why was today suddenly so life-threatening?

Urgent dragon roars echoed from ahead. As the roars intensified, the flames in the void grew stronger, and the ambient temperature soared. Soon, the surrounding star-dust was vaporized into countless wisps of green and purple smoke by green and purple flames. The void became utterly clear, with only masses of purple flames, resembling melted glaze, dancing everywhere.

Gu Xiechen’s left eye twitched. That wisp of Solar Blazing Flame excitedly extended a faint black flame-tongue from his pupil.

The next instant, the sky full of purple flames surged towards Gu Xiechen, wildly injecting themselves into that faint black flame-tongue. In the blink of an eye, Gu Xiechen was enveloped by towering purple flames. The incoming flames were overwhelmingly scorching, gradually building up a layer of heat on Gu Xiechen’s skin, which compressed into a near-solid purple crystalline shell several dozen feet thick.

Even Chi Longlie Yan, who specialized in fire-attribute cultivation, recoiled in fear; the temperature around Gu Xiechen was simply too high. This pure Yang fire, compressed endlessly, eventually resulted in a qualitative change from a quantitative shift. From it, dozens of black flame tendrils, thick as thumbs, were forcefully condensed—this was the Solar Blazing Flame formed from a single wisp of innate Solar Qi.

The Solar Blazing Flame circled Gu Xiechen once before also entering his body, rotating rapidly within him like the Yin and Yang fish on a Tai Chi vortex, connecting head to tail with the Taiyin Dazzling Flame. Wherever it passed, his body cycled between icy cold and searing heat. Gu Xiechen sweated profusely, and streaks of black-yellow aura constantly vented from his pores.

An extremely enraged dragon roar sounded from ahead. The group clearly perceived the fury contained within it—the resentment and anger of a newborn whose food has been snatched away. That massive life aura continuously surged from the source of the roar.

Gu Xiechen, busy absorbing the surrounding heavenly fire energy, looked forward in surprise. A strange sight unfolded before him.

In a vast expanse of void ahead, a small planet, barely a hundred miles in diameter, floated alone. Although its size was negligible, when Gu Xiechen’s divine sense swept over it, he discovered the entire planet was condensed from Innate Bing Fire Qi. Its core was incredibly heavy and dense, and the celestial body displayed a distinct triple structure.

The first layer was a hard shell, perhaps only a mile thick. The density of this shell was frighteningly high; Gu Xiechen estimated that even the Fire Crow perched on his shoulder could not inflict any damage upon it.

The second layer was an extremely thin membrane, only about the thickness of an ordinary person’s palm. This membrane actually contained a vast amount of Innate Solar Qi. This Innate Solar Qi outlined countless complex, ancient talismans upon the membrane composed of Bing Fire Qi. Each talisman seemed to contain endless profound mysteries. As Gu Xiechen’s divine sense swept over these talismans, the Solar Blazing Flame absorbed into his body faintly stirred in response.

The third layer was a liquid sphere formed from astonishingly concentrated Solar Qi, containing an extremely dense, suffocating life aura. In Gu Xiechen’s perception, this life aura was likely over a hundred thousand times greater than the innate life essence he possessed. However, this life aura was continuously being absorbed by some entity.

A black mass of Solar Blazing Flame enveloped the tiny planet, a towering column reaching ten thousand feet high, furiously extracting surrounding heavenly fire energy and constantly evolving into new Solar Blazing Flames.

A black dragon, only about thirty feet long and thick as a bowl, was struggling to break free from the solid shell of that planet. More than half of its body had emerged, but a small portion of its tail remained bound by the celestial body. The black dragon’s bell-sized eyes were fixed on Gu Xiechen, who was also plundering the surrounding heavenly fire energy. The rage in its eyes had transformed into tangible flames scorching towards Gu Xiechen. The black dragon let out continuous, loud roars that made the surrounding void subtly tremble.

"It's him!" Chi Longlie Yan ignored the flames erupting from Gu Xiechen and pounced forward excitedly. He shook his hand and activated the Flame Token, shooting a red beam thick as a meter towards the black dragon.

The black dragon indifferently opened its mouth and swallowed the red beam shot by Chi Longlie Yan, then let out a few contented calls towards them.

Chi Longlie Yan froze. Gu Xiechen urgently said, "This is an Innate Life Form of the Innate Fire Attribute. All pure Yang fire-attribute techniques in the cosmos are merely tonics for him. You are useless; let us handle this!"

With a gesture, Gu Xiechen summoned his Five Waters Dragon Whisker Fan, which flew up and transformed into a massive fan a hundred feet wide, sweeping fiercely across the void.

With a sound like the shattering of the heavens, the Five-Colored True Water transformed into five surging rivers that rushed towards the black dragon.

The black dragon was momentarily stunned. It suddenly shook its body with force, finally breaking free from the constraints of the small planet and soaring freely in the air. It opened its mouth and inhaled, drawing in large swaths of purple heavenly fire that flew into its maw. With a dragon’s roar, the black dragon opened its mouth and spat out a clear, bright purple cloud mist. The Five-Colored True Water met this cloud mist, resulting in a violent explosion like magma meeting seawater, splashing up countless vapors. The immense sound forced the Seven Stars and Four Monks to stumble back several steps, blood spitting from the corners of their mouths.

Perhaps due to its recent birth, although the black dragon’s main body was powerful, its divine abilities and magic power were somewhat lacking. It could only passively spew high-temperature purple cloud mist to resist Gu Xiechen’s attacks. Before long, the cloud mist grew fainter and fainter as the Five-Colored True Water relentlessly pressed toward the black dragon’s body.

The black dragon frantically thrashed its head and tail in distress, puffing clouds and fog from its large eyes, yet it was still being forced backward step by step.

Just as Gu Xiechen was about to swing his True Magnetic Two Poles Light-Dividing Sword to decapitate the black dragon, the dragon glanced down at the small planet below. After a moment of hesitation, it joyfully spewed several streams of spiritual energy toward the small planet, vigorously inhaling and exhaling toward the celestial body.

The hundred-mile-diameter small planet flashed with black firelight, its stellar body rapidly shrinking. In the blink of an eye, it condensed into a fist-sized black pearl, spinning and whirling randomly in the air.

Gu Xiechen watched the black pearl in astonishment. The Taiyin Profound Pearl within his body suddenly trembled a few times, faintly resonating with the black pearl. His left eye turned completely pitch-black, and the Solar Blazing Flame erupted uncontrollably, shooting fiercely toward the black pearl.

Could it be?

A sudden thought struck Gu Xiechen. He rapidly urged his sword light forward, cleaving down between the black dragon and the black pearl, severing the connection of their auras.

Before the newly born black dragon could recover, Gu Xiechen summoned the Haotian Pagoda, spitting out a stream of profound yellow energy, forcefully sucking the black pearl into the tower.

The black dragon violently convulsed, spewing large amounts of boiling, lava-like purple blood from its seven orifices. It roared madly at the sky, thrusting its two sharp horns upward to ram into Gu Xiechen’s chest.

The Seven Stars and Four Monks flew toward them from the distance, shouting in unison.

The Seven Stars fixed their positions according to the Big Dipper constellation, simultaneously drawing out their Seven-Star Pine Grain Swords and pointing them at the void. They established the Big Dipper Demon-Subduing Grand Array, showering the black dragon with vast starlight.

The Four Monks were even fiercer. They chanted the titles of the Four Great Vajras, Dharma Protectors of Buddhism, and, wielding four extremely thick and long Vajra pestles, desperately charged at the black dragon engulfed in swirling heavenly fire, pouring all their strength into smashing its body. However, although the Four Monks’ attacks were overwhelmingly ferocious, the angles of their strikes were incredibly vulgar and lewd, as the Vajra pestles persistently targeted the vicinity of the black dragon’s lower regions.

Gu Xiechen flicked his fingers, and the Azure Lotus Ring once again transformed into an azure light ring, emitting a blue glow that firmly bound the black dragon’s body, rendering it completely immobile.

With a tremendous crash and a tragic dragon’s cry, the black dragon was struck repeatedly by several figures. Large patches of scales fell off, and masses of vital blood splattered around. Chi Longlie Yan, in a panic, darted around, catching all the vital blood in a red jade jar.

The black dragon finally erupted in fury. It split open the reverse scale beneath its jaw, spitting out a purple light that enveloped a black dragon core the size of a chicken egg. The black dragon screamed towards the sky, spewing copious amounts of blood onto the dragon core. The surrounding void violently trembled, and this section of the star-dust belt, spanning several hundred million kilometers, suddenly contracted fiercely inward, rapidly shrinking with the black dragon core as its nucleus.

Infinite quantities of star-dust poured into the dragon core, and the might released from the black dragon’s body grew stronger and stronger. In the blink of an eye, the aura released by the black dragon—which had just been born with a power fluctuation equivalent only to the level of the Taihuang Grand Celestial Heaven’s peaks—broke through to the second stage of Celestial Immortality, the Great Bright Jade Perfect Heaven, and aggressively surged toward even higher realms.

Gu Xiechen was startled. He suddenly recalled a record in the Great Desolation Scripture, causing him to tremble violently. He hurriedly shouted a warning to everyone.

This black dragon actually used the Art of Reversing Innate Form into Reverse Incarnation. No wonder, as an Innate Life Form, it possessed such a weak aura upon emerging!

Either kill the black dragon swiftly or escape at the fastest possible speed, or they would all perish here today.

The Art of Reversing Innate Form into Reverse Incarnation—how did this beast comprehend such a divine ability?

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