In the Star Alliance, this kind of vulnerable three-star civilization was just another entity to be reaped and exploited.

But the Duchy of Aimei was different; it was situated in a remote location, almost at the very edge of the Star Alliance. Nearby, there were only nearly a hundred one-star and two-star civilizations, with no other high-level civilizations present.

Consequently, the Duchy of Aimei had become the overlord of this sector of the cosmos. It wantonly bullied the low-level civilizations around it, extracting their essence—their flesh and blood—for its own use, steadily increasing its national power and nurturing its military strength. After generations of effort by its Dukes, the Duchy of Aimei had amassed a formidable fleet consisting of a thousand Star Alliance first-class warships as its capital ships, supported by over ten thousand various sized vessels and transports!

Of course, these Star Alliance first-class warships were sourced from the less powerful four-star civilizations; their technological standards were somewhat obsolete, and they were all secondhand hulls nearing a century in service. Yet, for the Duchy of Aimei, these were treasures worth a fortune, salvaged at immense cost from the scrap yards of four-star civilizations’ military surplus, requiring considerable effort to refurbish them into working order.

Having acquired so many first-class warships—a fleet size many four-star civilizations couldn't match—the Duchy of Aimei felt its backbone straighten considerably.

On this very day, as the current Duke of Aimei performed the customary rites in their ancestral shrine to worship the ancestral spirits, a pale black rhombic crystal left by the founder of the Aimei Grand Ducal family suddenly erupted in a brilliant flash. A faint, elusive silhouette appeared within it, conveying a directive to the Duke and granting him a spatial coordinate.

The Duke of Aimei, overjoyed, immediately knelt down, accepting the directive and searing the spatial coordinate into his memory.

This crystal was an arcane treasure left by the founder of the Aimei lineage. It held a mysterious power capable of ensuring that, in every generation of the Aimei family, there would be ten powerful six-star Adepts! For tens of thousands of years, it was thanks to these numerous six-star Adepts that the Aimei family maintained absolute security in this star region. To the line of the Duke of Aimei, this crystal was the manifestation of their ancestors, the will of the divine. Any command transmitted through it promised immense benefits to the Aimei family!

The duchy's entire fleet launched swiftly, like a pack of vicious wolves descending upon the nearby one-star and two-star civilizations.

Following a meticulously prepared roster, every martial arts master, every Adept, and every elite warrior from nearly a hundred one-star and two-star civilizations was swept away. Thousands of large transport ships ferried these elite forces to the capital of the Duchy of Aimei. After brief reorganization, led by a vanguard of Star Alliance first-class warships, over ten thousand various vessels and transports, carrying nearly a trillion elite warriors, plunged into subspace, racing at maximum velocity toward the destination indicated by the spatial coordinate: Paradise Star!

Similar to the Duchy of Aimei, dozens of three-star and four-star civilizations situated on the fringe of the Star Alliance, closest to Paradise Star, simultaneously received certain directives. They committed all their national resources and joyously set course for Paradise Star. Coordinated by an inexplicable power, these expeditionary fleets established a unified joint command within mere days, clarifying command structures and finalizing operational sequences, readying themselves for an all-out offensive.

The core leadership of these civilizations had also received the registration details of the civilization represented by Paradise Star! It was registered as “Ko," a one-star civilization that had only recently been filed in the Star Alliance archives—utterly incapable of resistance.

Low-level civilizations navigated subspace slowly. For the Duchy of Aimei, the closest, even exerting full power, it would take one year and three months to arrive.

In the Thirteen-Star Cluster, Gu Xiechen and Ducat were locked in a fierce, endless battle.

The Ten Heavenly Sovereigns, rushing in as reinforcements, had deployed the Ten Ultimate Formations nearby. The immensely powerful formations sealed off all possible escape routes in the four cardinal directions. Lily floated silently within the Soul-Losing Formation, a talisman of earthy yellow paper affixed to her face, trapping her three hun souls and seven po spirits, leaving her unconscious as if dead, her entire aura frozen.

After slaying the Third Archangel Molofi, Gu Xiechen casually tossed Lily into the Soul-Losing Formation.

This was an undisguised provocation, a blatant challenge to Ducat.

Ducat, driven to near madness, charged toward the Ten Ultimate Formations again and again, only to be intercepted by Gu Xiechen each time. Facing Gu Xiechen's inexhaustible stream of miraculous Daoist arts and flying sword artifacts, Ducat, despite possessing significantly superior true strength, repeatedly suffered setbacks under Gu Xiechen, sometimes even being caught off guard and left utterly humiliated, let alone breaking into the Soul-Losing Formation to rescue Lily.

"If you wish to save Lily, defeat me! If you wish for my obedience, crush me utterly!"

Facing the frenzied Ducat, Gu Xiechen issued a direct, head-on challenge.

Ducat, single-minded, charged forward recklessly, meeting Gu Xiechen head-on.

Ducat’s physical body was incredibly tough, and his power immensely robust. A casual strike could send Gu Xiechen's flying artifacts spinning far away, and any casual attack could leave Gu Xiechen bleeding from all seven orifices and his flesh pulverized. Yet, Gu Xiechen clung to Ducat like stubborn taffy. No matter how far he was blasted away, no matter how severe his injuries, given a brief respite, Gu Xiechen would spring back with renewed vigor, shouting and engaging in close combat with Ducat.

Streaks of black lightning tore through the void; torrents of black flames and violent winds danced everywhere. Gu Xiechen weaved amidst the towering gales, raging flames, and violent lightning. Grotesque, massive wounds appeared on his body intermittently; his limbs were torn off and flung away; huge holes were blasted through his chest and abdomen, spraying pale golden blood everywhere. The blood Gu Xiechen spewed was enough to fill a sizable lake.

In the first month, Ducat could easily inflict critical, near-fatal injuries on Gu Xiechen. If not for Peng Li Hua and Siren restraining him from the sidelines, Gu Xiechen would have been torn to shreds.

In the second month, Ducat needed to exert some effort to seriously wound Gu Xiechen. By now, Gu Xiechen was as slippery as a loach; if Ducat wasn't fully focused, he couldn't even touch Gu Xiechen’s body.

By the third month, Ducat had to put serious thought into cornering Gu Xiechen. Although Gu Xiechen's cultivation remained at the Second-Grade Celestial Immortal realm, his speed, reaction time, and strength had increased dramatically. Occasionally, a blast from Gu Xiechen's Cascading Sleeve could send Ducat flying a hundred meters, making injuring Gu Xiechen even harder. Ducat roared in fury, momentarily forgetting that Lily was trapped in the Soul-Losing Formation, focusing entirely on tearing Gu Xiechen apart.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth months passed... Gu Xiechen could finally trade blows with Ducat effectively in direct confrontation.

The Taiyin Robe, Taiyin Thorn, Azure Lotus Ring, and Five Water Dragon Whisker Fan—his four natal artifacts—underwent a strange transformation. Within these artifacts, the Taiyin and Taiyang energies achieved absolute equilibrium, merging into a dense mass of chaotic energy. The blood that poured from Gu Xiechen's body from being repeatedly beaten by Ducat was not wasted; all his essence blood merged into these natal artifacts, forging them to be even more attuned to his spirit and far more agile in control.

Hoo! Ducat suddenly threw a heavy punch aimed directly at Gu Xiechen's chest.

Gu Xiechen sneered and thrust forward a sphere of raw material nearly several meters in diameter, the 'Yingzhou Hong Copper,' to intercept the blow. Ducat's punch, wrapped in thick black flames, burned fiercely around the copper, scorching it until it gleamed brightly. All impurities were blasted out by Ducat’s punch, scattering as sparks of light. What remained was a mass of pure Yang-attributed Yingzhou refined copper ingot, almost pulverized.

Amidst loud laughter, Gu Xiechen integrated this ingot, glowing with searing heat, into his four natal artifacts, significantly boosting their power.

The enraged Ducat followed up with a flying kick aimed at Gu Xiechen’s head. But Gu Xiechen flipped his left hand, presenting a piece of innate material of pure Yang attribute—Azure Yang Slate—glowing with soaring azure light, to block above his head. Ducat’s kick, laden with countless strands of black lightning, slammed into the slate. The violent force of the lightning hammered into the rock, shattering all internal impurities, which vented out as wisps of black smoke. Gu Xiechen chuckled, incorporating the slate, now almost melted into liquid, into his four natal artifacts.

From the sixth to the tenth month, Gu Xiechen happily utilized Ducat’s endless brute force and continuous savage power to temper his natal artifacts. He refined the materials of these four artifacts into masses exhibiting harmonious Yin and Yang, achieving a mysterious balance between extreme Yin and pure Yang materials. The Yin and Yang energies within them began to generate infinite mysteries through mutual generation. When Gu Xiechen inscribed the final few divine runes from the Solar True Scripture he had comprehended into the newly formed artifacts, they simultaneously erupted with blinding black and white radiance.

Although his cultivation remained at the Second-Grade Celestial Immortal realm, relying on the four artifacts whose power had skyrocketed, Gu Xiechen’s combat strength increased a hundredfold. He could now directly withstand Ducat’s brute force confrontation, suffering only minor limb damage, instead of collapsing instantly as his physical body was easily smashed to pieces by a single punch, as in the beginning.

With a satisfied chuckle, Gu Xiechen actively moved toward Ducat. Protected by the newly formed Taiyin Robe—or perhaps now the Yin-Yang Robe—he deliberately took the brunt of Ducat’s heavy punches, allowing his physical body to sustain massive damage repeatedly, only to then drive the 'Celestial Emperor's Tribulation' Seal into his own body, continuously tempering his physique with the Primordial Yellow Qi. While still a Second-Grade Celestial Immortal in cultivation, Gu Xiechen's physical resilience now approached that of a Fifth-Grade Celestial Immortal specializing in body refinement. Siren, Peng Li Hua, and Aretya, who were observing and assisting Gu Xiechen, watched with pounding hearts. Gu Xiechen's physique at this moment was too formidable. Every time his body was heavily injured by Ducat, the sound erupting from his cracking bones, muscles, and meridians was like a series of heavy artillery shots or rolling thunder right beside the ear—the sheer scale and noise were utterly despair-inducing.

Especially when Gu Xiechen dropped his defenses, letting Ducat’s heavy fist pound his abdomen, causing large fissures in his internal organs, the sound was like the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting. Each punch sent Gu Xiechen flying hundreds of miles, pulverizing everything in his path.

Boundless, excruciating pain tormented Gu Xiechen—a pain capable of shattering one’s spirit. Yet, Gu Xiechen stubbornly endured.

Within the Vast Heaven Pagoda, a clear yet stern voice echoed: "Only after enduring myriad tribulations can one achieve the Great Dao!"

The Vast Heaven Pagoda continuously spewed wisps of Primordial Yellow Qi to nourish Gu Xiechen’s innate primordial spirit, preventing it from disintegrating under the intense pain. Instead, it used this boundless agony to temper his spirit, making it tougher and stronger.

Vast quantities of innate Five Elements Qi continuously streamed out from Gu Xiechen’s internal organs, nourishing his innate spirit and the two supreme treasures, the Vast Heaven Pagoda and the Vast Heaven Mirror. Nourished by this innate Five Elements Qi, Gu Xiechen’s innate spirit grew stronger. The experience of the True Monarch of Taiyin continuously integrated with his spirit, and the Dao realm and experience that once belonged to the True Monarch of Taiyin gradually became Gu Xiechen's own. His Dao realm was advancing by leaps and bounds, although his magical power cultivation remained at the Second-Grade Celestial Immortal level; his Dao realm had soared to the threshold of the Golden Immortal!

In the eleventh and twelfth months, Gu Xiechen simply floated in the void while the raging Ducat circled him, striking wildly.

Ducat, having completely lost his sanity and all intelligence, poured his full strength into every punch. The energy condensed in his fists was equivalent to that of a Sixth-Grade Celestial Immortal, and every strike landed solidly on Gu Xiechen. A faint black and white aura enveloped Gu Xiechen’s body. The power of Ducat’s heavy blows was largely attenuated by this thin light barrier; when the residual force struck Gu Xiechen, it could only cause fractures and broken bones, no longer inflicting fatal damage.

The Primordial Yellow Qi surged within Gu Xiechen’s body like a vast river, roaring like a breached dam. All damage healed instantaneously. Immeasurable Primordial Yellow Qi condensed into the Celestial Emperor's Tribulation Seal governing Speed, Agility, and Strength, continuously integrating into Gu Xiechen’s damaged form.

Gu Xiechen’s skin had turned a magnificent black-gold, emitting towering black and yellow radiance, truly resembling a divine statue cast in metal.

"Die! Ah, die for me!" Ducat roared madly, saliva and hot air spewing from his mouth and nostrils, attacking Gu Xiechen with every trick he knew.

But after a full year of tempering, Gu Xiechen had grown immeasurably. The Profound Yellow Undying Body divine ability was inherently a supreme cultivation technique that only reached great perfection after surviving countless disasters. The more damage Ducat inflicted on Gu Xiechen, the greater Gu Xiechen’s advancement became.

Tens of millions of near-death critical injuries, hundreds of millions of instances of broken bones and torn ligaments, and countless minor and major wounds had hardened Gu Xiechen’s body to a strength only attainable by Sixth-Grade Celestial Immortals specializing in body refinement in ancient times. Ducat’s attacks now posed no threat to the current Gu Xiechen.

He let out a long cry to the heavens. Purple light flickered in Gu Xiechen’s eyes. He rolled up his sleeves and, for the first time, actively counterattacked Ducat.

Without using any divine abilities or magic power, relying purely on his physical strength, Gu Xiechen created countless afterimages, twisting and turning in the void. In a flash, he appeared behind Ducat and hammered a heavy punch into the back of Ducat's skull. The terrifying impact exploded outward; Ducat's neck snapped, stretching over a foot long with a 'crack.' His head, bleeding from all seven orifices, became heavy, dragging him toward the ground. With a massive boom, a mushroom cloud hundreds of miles high erupted from the impact point. Ducat's body smashed open a crater hundreds of miles wide on the ground. Gu Xiechen’s residual punch force pierced through his body and the rock layers beneath, causing vast amounts of magma to erupt from underground.

Ducat howled several times in rage. He forced his damaged neck back into place, then transformed once more into the image of the massive three-headed black dragon, charging toward Gu Xiechen amidst a gust of wind.

Gu Xiechen, expressionless, stared coldly at Ducat. He spoke in a low voice, "I don't know what your bloody disaster is, but... since you are fated for one, let me personally carry it out! I will only severely injure you, not kill you. This way, even if you face future calamities, surviving this one will make those later trials much easier!"

Lifting his right hand high, a black and yellow seal suddenly materialized at Gu Xiechen's fingertip. Countless strands of Primordial Yellow Qi poured into the seal, and a cloud condensed around it, revealing blurred visages of countless living beings within. With a low shout, "Azure Life Seal, Seal the Living Beings!" Gu Xiechen casually hurled the seal toward the charging Ducat.

The Azure Life Seal descended with incredible speed, so fast that Gu Xiechen himself couldn't track its trajectory.

There was a loud smack as Ducat suddenly pitched forward, spitting blood from all seven orifices, slamming back into the ground. His primordial spirit had suffered a severe trauma, and large quantities of black liquid poured from his orifices. This liquid, seemingly alive, writhed briefly on the ground, carrying a pungent, fishy odor, before attempting to flow back into Ducat’s body. However, Gu Xiechen waved his newly formed Dragon Whisker Fan, sending out a stream of five-colored true fire that instantly incinerated the black liquid to ash.

A wretched scream tore from Ducat’s mouth. He violently shook his three massive heads and cursed Gu Xiechen hoarsely. His fleshy wings beat frantically, transforming him into a streak of black light soaring toward the Ten Ultimate Formations. He roared in anger, "Just you wait, I will be back!"

Gu Xiechen certainly wouldn't allow Ducat to escape. A cloud manifested beneath his feet, carrying him with lightning speed to intercept Ducat. He casually grabbed Ducat's neck, unleashing explosive divine strength in his arms. He swung Ducat’s heavy body and slammed it violently toward the ground. This time, Gu Xiechen used his full strength. Ducat’s body carved a long, straight vacuum channel through the air, smashing into the ground with a deafening roar.