The entrance to the Boundless Void Peak mountain gate saw over a dozen young men in Daoist robes burst out in disarray.

"What manner of person dares cause trouble here?" a young man bellowed.

Gu Xiechen had no desire to waste words on these riffraff. He unleashed a torrent of devastatingly fierce Cai Water Divine Thunder. The dozen youths, along with their sword lights, were instantly obliterated into dust. Following this, dozens of Yin-tendrilled, softly winding Cai Water Yin Thunders shot into the mountain’s belly. Amidst the continuous concussions of thunder, every single disciple of the Duoloteuo family along the tunnel leading from the entrance was blasted into fragments, their very souls ripped apart by the Cai Water vital energy into scattered motes that drifted away.

"Mudaoren!" Two beams of bloody light shot from Gu Xiechen's crimson eyes. The profound Yellow Qi around him swelled mightily, and he mounted his sword light, soaring rapidly forward along the tunnel.

The Duoloteuo disciples reacted with astonishing speed. They quickly organized an effective defense. Defensive formations and restrictions rose up one after another. Moreover, varying numbers of Duoloteuo disciples coalesced into sword arrays and talisman arrays of different sizes, relentlessly launching streams of sword light and various talismanic attacks at Gu Xiechen and his party.

Yet, all those formations and restrictions were nothing short of a joke before Gu Xiechen and his companions. Having acquired the Celestial Artifact Collection, Gu Xiechen was already a supreme master of the Dao of Formations in the Three Realms; even mimicking the techniques crudely would be beyond the ability of these superficial formations and restrictions to impede him. As for the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns, their formation, the Ten Absolute Array, had once made the Twelve Golden Immortals of the Chan Sect look utterly miserable—their mastery of formations was self-evident. The group cut through layer after layer of restrictions like splitting rotten wood. In less time than it takes to drink a cup of tea, they stormed the core stronghold of the Boundless Void Peak.

The dense spiritual energy within the Boundless Void Peak greatly delighted Gu Xiechen, and the enormous spiritual vein beneath the Void Peak made him laugh wildly toward the sky in triumph.

The Grand Yin Profound Pearl and the Grand Yang Profound Pearl shot up from above his head, striking precisely a Haotian Pagoda suspended in the air. These three ultimate treasures unleashed a terrifying suction, instantly draining the dense spiritual energy of the cave dwelling dry. Immediately after, the three artifacts pierced the ground and plunged deep into the earth vein, beginning to pillage the nearly infinite spiritual energy from the massive vein beneath the Boundless Void Peak. The grade of these three ultimate treasures represented the very limit of Innate Supreme Treasures this world could possess. When they operated at full power to absorb external spiritual energy, the destruction wrought upon the subterranean vein was apocalyptic.

The entire Boundless Void Peak began to tremble. The snow on the summit started to melt, swiftly followed by the great trees near the mountainside shriveling and dying one after another. With the Boundless Void Peak as the epicenter, a circle of yellow light rapidly expanded outward. Wherever the yellow light passed, all spiritual energy vanished. Forests withered, flowers wilted. Spirit herbs turned to dust, and spirit beasts became skeletons. What was once an abode of immortal spirits transformed, in mere breaths, into a desolate, spectral realm.

It was as if the Heavens themselves were enraged by Gu Xiechen's wanton destruction of blessed lands in the cosmos. Sheets of dark clouds gathered high above, and bolts of lightning were about to strike the Boundless Void Peak.

But the profound Yellow Qi enveloping Gu Xiechen reacted instantly, like a living thing, toward the dark clouds above. Gu Xiechen looked up sharply, and two beams of black and yellow concentrated light shot from his eyes. These rays pierced through thousands of meters of overlying rock strata, the intense black and yellow light penetrating the churning dark clouds, shattering the brewing thunder into powder.

An overbearing aura of providence spread from Gu Xiechen’s body. He looked up and shouted sternly:

"Who are you all, that you dare obstruct me?"

Following this roar, the dark clouds in the sky suddenly dissipated, and the world returned to a scene of clear skies and gentle breezes. However, the circle of yellow light on the ground continued to spread outward. In perhaps two more hours, the entire Boundless Void Star would be ruined by Gu Xiechen’s hand. He intended to use the power of the Haotian Pagoda to plunder the subterranean spiritual veins, seeking to seize all the planet's spiritual essence and funnel it into the Grand Yin and Grand Yang Profound Pearls.

Relying on constantly draining external spiritual energy to replenish the consumption of the two Profound Pearls could never compare to the pearls internally possessing several giant spiritual veins that generated energy continuously.

However, this forcible hijacking of subterranean spiritual veins was an act that even Great Principle Golden Immortals dared not commit in the ancient era. Even powerful beings such as the Grand Yin True Lord of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths would at most dare to subtly shift a spiritual vein, never daring to completely sever it from its matrix and claim it as their own. This was a cardinal sin against the laws of Heaven and Earth, one that demanded retribution from the Heavenly Dao!

The issue was that even Patriarch Hongjun had retreated to an alternate dimension to forge his path, leaving the Heavenly Dao of this space without a presiding authority. Furthermore, Gu Xiechen was protected by the Haotian Pagoda, and to top it off, he had even cultivated the technique of the Profound Yellow Undying Body. He was now faintly connected to the Heavenly Dao, and a Heavenly Dao without a supervisor would hardly move against him.

Thus, Gu Xiechen's act of plundering the subterranean spiritual veins proceeded with spectacular effect, and without any apparent backlash.

The Ten Heavenly Sovereigns watched, utterly stunned. The fingers of several Sovereigns loosened, and clatter, clatter, their swords fell to the ground.

This Supreme Venerable was truly formidable and mighty, daring to commit such an act that summoned Heavenly Punishment, yet suffering no major calamity! The Ten Heavenly Sovereigns were also renowned figures among the ancient immortals, having achieved fame even before the establishment of the Heavenly Court. They instantly recognized the provenance of the Haotian Pagoda hovering over Gu Xiechen's head and identified the black and yellow light constantly flickering around him.

Qin Heavenly Sovereign gave a thumbs-up. Excellent, incredibly excellent. Having slumbered in Gu Xiechen's Sea of Consciousness in a hazy state, they had no idea the Haotian Pagoda had been their neighbor for so long. Now, suddenly recognizing the Haotian Pagoda and the Profound Yellow Undying Body Divine Art, the ecstasy felt by the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns was beyond measure. With such backing, such support—if they followed him, bearing the Haotian Pagoda and clad in Yellow Qi, Gu Xiechen would be several shades mightier than the Dignified Sovereign of Earth's own might!

"Hahaha!" With a burst of wild laughter upon grasping this realization, the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns charged out like maddened tigers. Streams of sword light crisscrossed in a chaotic dance, slaughtering the Duoloteuo disciples left behind in the Boundless Void Peak, causing continuous wails. Often, a single sweep of sword energy would send dozens of heads tumbling; the vast manor was soon carpeted in blood.

The ugly face conjured by Gu Xiechen broke into a sneer. He roared: "Take everything you fancy! Hmph!"

With a sweep of his sleeve, he sent dozens of Duoloteuo family members flying, smashing them against the cave walls until flesh and bone became mire. Even their souls were frozen into fragments by the Yin energy. Gu Xiechen swiftly scooped several pots of Thousand-Leaf Purple Ganoderma Grass into his Azure Lotus Ring, and casually pried off several chunks of Zakar Crystals shimmering with pure light from the cave walls.

The Ten Heavenly Sovereigns instantly snapped back to reality. They hastily gathered all the spirit herbs and spirit stones near them into their storage artifacts. Truthfully, the spirit herbs and stones within the Boundless Void Peak were beneath the notice of the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns; what spirit herb or stone could compare to the treasures of Jinao Island in their prime? However, they were aware that the current world was not the world of their past, and these spirit herbs and stones were exceedingly significant and extraordinary for the cultivators of this age.

The Duoloteuo disciples remaining at the Boundless Void Peak stood no chance against Gu Xiechen and his group. This was a fundamental disparity—how could mere cultivators contend with immortals? It was like ants confronting a giant dragon. These Duoloteuo disciples could not even scratch the hair on Gu Xiechen's head before being tragically slain beneath their sword lights.

A red light pulsed across Gu Xiechen's eyes. All his natal magic treasures were unleashed. Wherever the sky-filling splendor traveled, all living things were instantly reduced to crimson powder.

The shrill cries of the Duoloteuo disciples, entering Gu Xiechen's ears, subtly transformed into the deafening roar of the Earth suddenly collapsing into a black hole under intense light.

The thick blood-red light reflected in Gu Xiechen's eyes morphed into the color of the blood that flowed from his comrades when Mudaoren ambushed them.

"Siren, Arupiya—"

"There are still so many people left!"

A low sound, like a tiger’s roar, emanated from Gu Xiechen’s throat. He let out a monstrous howl, suddenly lunged forward, and fiercely gripped the throats of two Nascent Soul stage cultivators with his hands. His fingers were like iron hooks as he forcefully snapped their windpipes. Several streams of Yin energy blasted into their bodies, instantly turning both flesh and soul into ten-thousand-year profound ice. With a crisp sound, their bodies shattered simultaneously, dispersing into countless ice crystals.

Streams of sword light and thunder continuously lashed against Gu Xiechen. Hundreds of Duoloteuo disciples rushed out from the opposite tunnel, yelling and screaming as they launched a desperate assault against Gu Xiechen.

Gu Xiechen abandoned the defense of his Grand Yin Magic Robe. He took the full force of their attacks with his physical body. What fragile attacks these were! Sword light could only tear his skin; thunder light could only scorch his hair. The profound Yellow Qi flowed around him, and such negligible damage was restored in the blink of an eye. Feeling the faint sting on his skin, Gu Xiechen experienced a wave of elation.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. You kill my kin, and I will exterminate your entire lineage. The Heavenly Dao is impartial; good and evil receive their due!

Accompanied by a high-pitched, cloud-piercing maniacal laugh, black flames suddenly erupted from Gu Xiechen. He walked step by step toward those Duoloteuo family members who were trembling in terror. Sword light swept against him, only to be instantly melted into iron slag by the Solar Blaze; thunder light struck him, only to be immediately devoured by the Solar Blaze. Protected by the Innate Solar Qi, how could these acquired mortal metals and acquired spells possibly harm him? With a savage smile, he strode closer to the Duoloteuo clansmen, and the Solar Blaze immediately spread onto them.

Piercing screams erupted continuously. Hundreds of human-shaped torches, shrouded in black flame, shrieked and stumbled about wildly. But before they could run more than a few steps, they were incinerated into ash by the black flames.

"The day you extinguished my Earth Mother Star, you should have foreseen this outcome!" Gu Xiechen chuckled wickedly, flicking his wrist to shoot out dozens of clusters of black flames, turning a distant group of stubbornly resisting cultivators into ashes. The Boundless Void Peak trembled violently. Enveloped by the Yellow Qi, three-tenths of the massive subterranean spiritual vein had already been swallowed by the Grand Yin and Grand Yang Profound Pearls. The shifting of the spiritual vein affected the planet's entire geological structure; the planetary body itself was shaking. The Boundless Void Peak, as the origin point of everything, nearly collapsed. Boulders of various sizes rained down from above, smashing the corpses of the slain Duoloteuo disciples into pieces.

Jin grit her teeth, following closely behind Gu Xiechen. Watching Gu Xiechen, who was nearly consumed by demonic rage, she mumbled under her breath, "Kill, just kill. If only your fury could be somewhat appeased, keep killing!"

Three Azure Lotuses flew out from a side tunnel. The three Void Realm cultivators guarding the Boundless Void Peak finally arrived. The three roared their reprimands almost in unison. But before they could clearly discern who was attacking them, ten sword lights, vast and agile like flood dragons, coiled and slashed in from the side, cleaving the three into dozens of segments.

The determination of the Duoloteuo disciples to resist finally collapsed. Their three strongest elders had been defeated and killed; what hope did these lesser members have?

With a cry of alarm, the Duoloteuo disciples present scattered and fled in all directions. They shouted loudly, and spurred by their example, the tens of thousands of Duoloteuo family members across the entire Boundless Void Peak scrambled away through various secret side tunnels and back passages.

But once they escaped the Boundless Void Peak, they discovered the surrounding area had transformed into a dead zone.

The formerly clear Jade Pool had dried up. All the forests had turned into withered, shriveled wood, standing on the ground like the arms of the undead. The fertile soil had all become sand and dust. Everywhere were the skeletons of birds and beasts. These stark white bones, continuously scoured by sand blown up by the raging wind, gradually turned into grayish-white bone powder that danced through the air.

"Heavens!" The tens of thousands of Duoloteuo disciples simultaneously uttered a sound of utter despair.

In the very next instant, centered on the Boundless Void Peak, a fierce gray-white gale surged up from the ground. A bone-chilling cold swept outwards, and tens of thousands of Duoloteuo disciples were tragically frozen into profound ice, all signs of life instantly extinguished. Just as their souls began to fly from their bodies, they were caught by another pillar of ascending black rage-flames, transforming into countless wisps of green ghostly fire that scattered in all directions.

The Duoloteuo family's core stronghold, the Boundless Void Peak, was annihilated!

Gu Xiechen retracted his hand seals, his crimson eyes sweeping across the surroundings with intense killing intent. He waved his hand gently.

The Ten Heavenly Sovereigns immediately followed the nearest side tunnels and dispersed. Within the Boundless Void Peak were the Duoloteuo family's alchemy chambers, forging workshops, and other vital departments—inexhaustible riches lay within, enough for them to feast to their heart's content. Here too were the high-tech laboratories established by the Duoloteuo family, where they had fused the apex technology of the Star Alliance with Daoist techniques, forming theories so bizarre they defied comprehension, and even manufacturing numerous finished products.

These items were useless to orthodox cultivators, but they held immense value for mortals. For instance, the bombs once used by Daoist Ziyun—if they could be mass-equipped for an army, even Gu Xiechen felt his scalp crawl at the thought.

Ignoring the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns who were busy looting everywhere, Gu Xiechen, led by Jin, went to the caverns where the immortals' remains were stored.

Three hundred and fifty-nine immortal remains sat silently in a circle within the cavern. The plaques of the Three Pure Ones above them shone brilliantly, illuminating the remains, casting an atmosphere of suffocating sorrow.

In Gu Xiechen's Sea of Consciousness, the three hundred and fifty-nine golden stars convulsed frantically, sending clear waves of soul energy toward Gu Xiechen.

These immortals' bodies remained intact even after a million years, but their primordial spirits had been completely shattered by heavy hands. As long as a primordial spirit was infused into their bodies, and their natal cultivation methods were used to nourish their vital energy and restore the vitality of these corpses, they would only need to spend "a mere tens of thousands of years" to revert to their original state, becoming immortals identical to their former selves.

The eons they spent cultivating to their current realm were countless Kalpas; yet now, only "a short span of tens of thousands of years" was needed for restoration. This was their great opportunity!

A mere few tens of thousands of years! Gu Xiechen suddenly realized he truly lacked common ground with these immortals, but since this was their wish, then so be it!

The Innate Primordial Spirit opened its eyes slightly and forcibly expelled three hundred and fifty-nine strands of primordial spirit energy, thin as gossamer. The three hundred and fifty-nine golden stars transmitted a wave of soul energy to Gu Xiechen, filled with heartfelt gratitude. Afterward, each fused with a wisp of the primordial spirit energy and was sent outside his body by Gu Xiechen. Hundreds of extremely dim rays of light rushed out from Gu Xiechen’s brow, each sinking into one of the three hundred and fifty-nine bodies that had been sitting motionless for countless years. A strange creaking sound, "Gaga," echoed as those bodies suddenly began to tremble.

Jin cried out in fright and threw herself at Gu Xiechen, nearly leaping onto him to hide.

Gu Xiechen was nearly knocked to the ground. The Innate Primordial Spirit had expelled so much primordial spirit energy in one go that it, which had grown to the level of the Grand Sovereign of the Great Prime Heaven's Peak, instantly dropped back to the introductory level of the Grand Sovereign of the Great Prime Heaven, truly suffering a massive setback. He was nearly struck back to the strength level of the Tribulation Crossing stage.

The bodies trembled violently. With every tremor, their stiff, rock-like flesh gradually recovered a trace of suppleness. After about half an hour, the immortal closest to Gu Xiechen, whose upper body had been nearly shattered, suddenly dripped a single drop of golden blood. The drop was dim in luster but undeniably contained a trace of vitality.

Immediately following this, the immortals opened their eyes one after another, mustering meager strength to offer a dry smile to Gu Xiechen: "We, pay our respects to the Supreme Venerable!"

Gu Xiechen did not dare to delay. He quickly bowed deeply with cupped hands: "Gu Xiechen pays his respects to the esteemed seniors. All of you have suffered greatly." He offered a dry smile as he looked at the one-armed and one-legged immortals.

The immortals lowered their heads, their faces flushed with shame. After the specks of golden light fused with their original physical bodies, the remnant spirits they left behind rapidly integrated with their bodies' memories, and they understood the entire cause and effect of those past events. This was truly embarrassing: they had gone out to rob, only to be thoroughly schooled and nearly suffer the destruction of both body and spirit. If not for a wisp of their residual spirit being left behind in the Thirty-Three Heavens' Purple Cloud Immortal Registry Treasure Scroll as proof of identity for entering the Thirty-Three Heavens, they would have truly been lost forever.

After a few dry laughs, the purple-robed Daoist holding the memory slate tremblingly recounted the entire sequence of events to Gu Xiechen.