Corn shone brightly in the void, and the figures of more than a dozen cultivators, adorned in high crowns and long sleeves, materialized within the Yuzhou expanse. Trailing these cultivators, a vast white jade stone, roughly a li in circumference, hovered silently, supporting several thatched huts. Countless streaks of black and red divine light densely crisscrossed around this great stone and the huts atop it, their brilliance hinting at various glowing talismans that flickered in and out of view. Intermittently, celestial music and ethereal sounds drifted forth, clearly indicating that this massive stone and the humble dwellings were magnificent magical artifacts.

Gu Xiechen, possessing sharp eyesight, spotted the large, sweeping calligraphy on a wooden plaque above the largest thatched hut from a great distance: Ren Dongxi. His current vision was terrifyingly acute; every single blade of thatch on the hut was visible to him. They were no mere straw but appeared to be brilliantly golden reeds forged from some unknown material, each intricately carved with countless runes and seals. Fine wisps of rosy light continually rose, converging above the huts into a swirling tapestry of auspicious energy.

Upon appearing, these cultivators burst into boisterous laughter as they flew towards Paradise Star, the massive stone shadowing their every move. The black and red streaks of light, along with the auspicious glow overhead, remained tethered to their bodies, enveloping them securely within layers of protective restrictions. Only when Gu Xiechen approached, solitary and alone, did these cultivators halt their advance, arrogantly appraising him from head to toe. Discovering that Gu Xiechen’s power fluctuation barely registered at the level of a Second-Grade Celestial Immortal, the nostrils of these dozen-odd cultivators practically pointed toward the heavens.

“You dare block our path?” the leading cultivator, a middle-aged man with a face as exquisite as jade, asked in a resonant, smooth voice. “Do not waste your life delaying us. Step aside and spare yourself a needless death.”

Gu Xiechen offered a slight smile, about to reply, when a cloud of plasma electromagnetic fog, spanning several tens of kilometers, suddenly erupted from the void nearby. A Roman warship burst through the spatial barrier, jumping into their presence. Over a dozen Doom Guard Knights, accompanied by nearly ten thousand high-ranking Roman warriors clad in energy armor that spewed bright blue flames several meters high, charged out from the vessel, surging toward the cultivators with murderous intent. The strongest of these Doom Guard Knights possessed cultivation nearing that of a Sixth-Level Loose Immortal, and the rest of the Roman warriors were all elite troops.

Yet, the weakest of the cultivators before them was a Second-Grade Celestial Immortal. Seeing the Romans charging furiously, the leading middle-aged cultivator shook his head mockingly at Gu Xiechen, then simply rubbed his palms together and thrust them outward violently. Ten thousand piercing rays of light shot from the cultivator's palms. These intense beams were almost tangible, resembling solid spears and lances that pierced through the Doom Guard Knights and Roman warriors, leaving behind perfectly round, bowl-sized holes through their bodies.

Golden-tinged blood sprayed everywhere, instantly killing every charging Roman warrior. Only two Doom Guard Knights managed to shriek as they reached the cultivators. Their purely energized bodies violently contracted inward, shrinking in the blink of an eye into balls of radiant, dazzling light. Subsequently, these two Doom Guard Knights detonated with formidable force, their blinding shockwave instantly engulfing the void for a hundred li.

It was unclear what wicked secret art these Romans had employed, but though their cultivation was merely close to that of a Sixth-Level Loose Immortal—equivalent to a nascent Celestial Immortal—their self-detonations were ceaseless and layered. In a flash, dozens of successive explosions were generated, each one rivaling the full might of a Second-Grade Celestial Immortal’s strike. The area within a hundred li was reduced to a veritable tide of raging flames. The ferocious shockwaves shook Gu Xiechen’s protective essence so violently that his protective aura nearly shattered the defenses of his Yin-Yang Dharma Robe.

The terrifying explosion persisted for a quarter of an hour before finally receding. Forget the two Doom Guard Knights; the nearly ten thousand Roman warriors who had charged alongside them were utterly annihilated, not even a speck of residue remaining. Only the lone Roman warship remained floating placidly a hundred li away, its surface dark and lifeless, devoid of any internal lights—much like a coffin that had been buried deep underground for countless ages.

As the intense light gradually faded, the cultivators all looked toward Gu Xiechen with lingering apprehension. The jade stone behind them was now emitting dazzling black and red light, and the thatch on the huts released brilliant auspicious rays. The clouds spanning several hundred mu above them churned, sending down fine, shimmering threads of colorful mist. Like water ceaselessly dripping from an eave, this phenomenon firmly shielded the fifteen or sixteen cultivators, large and small. The self-detonation of the two Romans had caused no substantial harm to them; the defensive capabilities of this enormous jade stone were truly astonishing.

Shaking his head, Gu Xiechen calmly stated to the cultivators, “These Romans have nothing to do with me!”

Before he could finish speaking, the Roman warship in the distance—which seemed to have lost all propulsion—suddenly spewed two pillars of plasma flame, each as thick as a li and nearly a hundred kilometers long, from its stern. The vessel accelerated at a shocking rate, transforming into a streak of bright light and crossing the hundred-kilometer distance in a single breath, slamming directly into the delicate, hanging rosy mist. A curtain of light shot out from the warship’s top, displaying a gigantic, full-body image of Gu Xiechen. Simultaneously, an extremely powerful high-frequency signal poured out of the vessel—a signal that cultivators could capture with their divine sense: “For Lord Gu Xiechen, the Roman Knights charge!”

“For Lord Gu Xiechen, the Roman Knights charge!” What an inspiring war cry, what a passionate shout, what an act of utter self-sacrifice!

Gu Xiechen could only shake his head speechlessly, muttering, “I truly have nothing to do with them.” However, judging by the cultivators’ gazes, they had clearly already concluded that the Romans were thugs raised by Gu Xiechen, his servants, his slaves, or perhaps just his pets kept for amusement. The Romans could be anything belonging to Gu Xiechen, but they absolutely could not be entirely unconnected to him. Under this preconceived notion, these cultivators would never believe Gu Xiechen’s explanation. The Roman warship was loaded with at least a thousand high-yield antimatter bombs. When the ship collided with the hanging rosy mist emanating from the huts, the vessel instantly disintegrated, unleashing a torrent of ferocious energy that even Gu Xiechen found difficult to resist. He retreated tens of thousands of kilometers along the beam of light, the black and white currents expelled by his Yin-Yang Dharma Robe swirling into a Taiji diagram around him. Threads of black and white energy rotated and ground against each other, layer by layer shaving off the surging, violent energy from the front.

When the dust settled and the explosion caused by the antimatter bombs finally dissipated, Gu Xiechen flew forward a short distance. He saw the cultivators, looking slightly disheveled, tidying their high crowns and long sleeves under the cover of the auspicious light. Several of them even had their belts unfastened, clearly having suffered from the recent blast.

The Romans had struck ruthlessly; the destructive power of the ship’s detonation was roughly equivalent to the full-power strike of a peak First-Grade Celestial Immortal... However, while exploding, they had also initiated their spatial jump program, opening a passage to subspace. As the explosion occurred, the raging energy dragged in the endless energy flow of the subspace, and the instant surge of subspace energy was not easily endured. This group of arrogant cultivators certainly suffered a considerable setback.

Arching his hands in salute toward the cultivators, Gu Xiechen was about to say something when the middle-aged leader fixed him with a sharp glare and barked, “No more sweet talk. Our orders are to eliminate all Romans. If you are connected to the Romans, you must die! Every explanation you offer is a sophistry; your only outcome is death!”

Rubbing and releasing his hands, the cultivator’s palm suddenly spewed dozens of intense golden rays aimed directly at Gu Xiechen. The golden light tore through the void, emitting sharp ‘chi-chi’ sounds like golden blades slicing through a gentle breeze, aiming squarely at Gu Xiechen’s vital points. Dozens of Black and White Taiyin Sacred Lotuses and Sun Talismans on the Yin-Yang Dharma Robe flared to life. Black and white streams of energy coiled like dragons, connecting head to tail, forming a Taiji vortex several zhang in diameter before Gu Xiechen.

The golden light struck the vortex, causing it to vibrate fiercely a few times before it spun and swirled, following the momentum of the incoming light, successfully diverting all dozens of golden beams into the distant void. Gu Xiechen swung his Dragon Beard Fan with his right hand, immediately summoning the Five-Colored True Water, accompanied by the thunderous roar of the Heavenly River splitting apart, which rushed down from the sky. Each stream of this Five-Colored True Water was a hundred li wide and over a hundred zhang thick. The five streams converged into a single massive wave surging forward, twisting and soaring across hundreds of li in the void—a truly terrifying spectacle.

If it were merely the Five-Colored True Water, it might have been manageable, but atop these five streams, the Five-Colored True Fire burned fiercely. The Golden Crow Heavenly Fire, the Sun True Fire, the Void Immortal Fire, the Purple Brilliant Heavenly Flame, and the Pure Spirit Purifying Fire—five flames of vastly different natures, carrying suffocating heat, coiled around the Five-Colored True Water, roaring and surging with deafening sounds of blazing fire. The fire amplified the water’s momentum, and the water enhanced the fire’s might. The normally conflicting forces of water and fire merged here with perfect harmony; their power was flawlessly integrated.

Faced with this incredible anomaly, the dozen or so cultivators visibly froze. Before they could react to this baffling attack, the Five-Colored True Water, carrying the Five-Colored True Fire, crashed into the cloud canopy emitted by the thatched huts on the massive jade stone. The vast cloud cover, thick enough to be a thousand zhang deep, visibly buckled downward. With a tremendous crash, the thick canopy rapidly dissolved like a snow lion meeting fire. In the blink of an eye, a deep pit, spanning several mu wide and seven to eight hundred zhang deep, was blasted open, nearly creating a transparent hole.

The cultivators were greatly alarmed, crying out in unison. Four or five of them leaped up, flying back into the thatched huts on the jade stone, where they sat cross-legged, rapidly chanting incantations and pouring streams of spiritual light into the huts, activating them to emit billions of strands of golden light that converged into a gold-attribute Geng Metal cloud canopy to meet the water and fire forces from the sky.

“Foolish! Don't you know that Innate True Water specifically restrains Geng Metal power?”

With a mocking curse, Gu Xiechen soared into the air, hovering above the massive jade stone. He violently swung the Dragon Beard Fan in his right hand, instantly unleashing massive clumps of viscous, multicolored true fire—appearing like molten glaze—that descended with mighty cries, raining down like raindrops. This fire completely incinerated the cloud canopy formed by the Geng Metal energy. The auspicious and radiant clouds below fared even worse; with a single sweep of Gu Xiechen’s fan, all the auspicious and radiant energy was swept away by the power of water and fire, not even a trace remaining.

“What a formidable magical artifact!” the leading middle-aged cultivator shouted fiercely. “He is only strong because of his artifacts; his personal cultivation is insignificant. Fellow Daoists, let us join forces! Do not forget the bounty from the Star Alliance!”

Seeing that Gu Xiechen’s Water-Fire Dragon Beard Fan perfectly countered the artifact they relied upon as their great defense, the group of cultivators soared into the air to meet him. When the middle-aged cultivator mentioned the “Star Alliance bounty,” everyone’s eyes lit up. They looked at Gu Xiechen with the greedy, frenzied gaze of misers spotting a gold doll.

There was no need to ask; it was clear that the Star Alliance had posted an astronomical reward, otherwise cultivators of such attainment would not have reacted this way.

Gu Xiechen’s eyes turned cold. Just as he was about to unleash his divine abilities to test strength and determine the winner against these cultivators, a graceful, seductive figure flashed in from the side. Jiao Mei’er had evidently urged her Nine-Tailed Long Banner to arrive beside Gu Xiechen without anyone noticing. This little demoness pitifully clutched Gu Xiechen’s sleeve. Her large, expressive eyes cast a timid glance at the cultivators, and she choked out to them, “Distinguished Seniors, with your lofty cultivation and celestial bodies, why do you trouble my master?”

The figures of the dozen-plus cultivators, the weakest of whom were Second-Grade Celestial Immortals, suddenly stiffened. They swallowed simultaneously, staring blankly at Jiao Mei’er.

Jiao Mei’er’s small face paled, then flushed suddenly. She carefully swayed the Nine-Tailed Long Banner in her hand, her graceful and beautiful body shrinking slightly behind Gu Xiechen. She whispered timidly, “My master is a good person; please don't hurt him. You are all bad people, but you can still repent and become good again.” Her rosy tongue licked her lips, and Jiao Mei’er smiled gently, speaking softly, “Whoever helps my master deal with these villains, this servant will offer herself to share his pillow, for one lifetime and forever.”

The dozen cultivators swallowed again, their eyeballs turning blood-red as if painted with vermilion oil, their expressions becoming like those of savage wolves. After hearing Jiao Mei’er’s words, the cultivators suddenly turned their killing intent onto their companions. Various beams of treasure light and sword energy flew everywhere. In the blink of an eye, save for the leading middle-aged man, all the others were beaten into mere pulp and scattered souls. But even this strongest middle-aged man had seven or eight massive holes ripped open in his body by sword energy and was already on the verge of death.

“Ah, Miss is…” The middle-aged man stared obsessively at Jiao Mei’er, stammering, trying to claim he had killed the others and greatly helped Gu Xiechen.

Jiao Mei’er giggled. She swayed her slender waist, stepped out from behind Gu Xiechen, and slowly walked behind the middle-aged man. She gently plunged a claw into his chest cavity, slowly digging out his still-beating heart. Looking at the crimson heart with distaste, Jiao Mei’er sighed deeply, “How dull. You’re almost dead; what use would it be for this servant to offer herself to you? Go reincarnate quickly. When you grow up, come back and join this servant for pleasure!”

With a light kiss on the middle-aged man’s rigid cheek, Jiao Mei’er gripped his vital waist area tightly, sucking away every last drop of his magical power and vital essence. In a flash, the middle-aged man was reduced to nothing but a skin husk floating in the cold Taiyin void. Jiao Mei’er, having replenished her strength, suddenly radiated wisps of pinkish rosy light.

After absorbing the vital essence and spirit of Yan Long and other high-ranking members of the Star Alliance, the Succubus Demoness had successfully ascended to the peak level of Sixth-Grade Celestial Immortal!

Once she crossed that great bottleneck between Celestial Immortal and Golden Immortal, this little demoness would truly become a Golden Immortal-level existence! The terrifying absorption cultivation technique of the Succubus Demoness clan was truly shocking. Clapping her hands lightly, Gu Xiechen sighed deeply, “Very good. In the future, if people like this come again, you shall be responsible for them.”

Jiao Mei’er looked pitifully at Gu Xiechen, carefully asking, “If Mei’er behaves obediently and helps master clean up these blind fools, will master ask Lord Peng Hua to lift the curse on Mei’er? With those three curses inside me, I can’t enjoy my meals or sleep soundly.”

Gu Xiechen swept a cold glance over Jiao Mei’er. A wisp of Xuanhuang energy flashed across his body, violently rebounding the Heavenly Demon Seduction Art Jiao Mei’er had released. Jiao Mei’er let out a miserable howl, spitting blood from her seven orifices as she flew backward tens of li, nearly having her soul scattered by the recoil force of the Haotian Pagoda. She looked at Gu Xiechen in terror and despair, kneeling fearfully in the void, daring no longer to use any petty tricks. Gu Xiechen stared at her and harshly reprimanded, “Do your job properly, and there will be rewards in the future. Disobey, and you will be reduced to ash immediately.”

With a sweep of his sweeping sleeve, the main warships of the nearly thousand-strong allied fleet observing the battle in the distance were violently swept thousands of li away by an invisible, massive force, tumbling and colliding along the way. By the time the warships finally stopped, all of them were so heavily damaged that they exploded simultaneously.

Jiao Mei’er lowered her head in fear, completely subdued by Gu Xiechen’s power and might.

In the span of a moment, the inherent nature of the Succubus Demoness clan—to submit to the strong—surged forth. Jiao Mei’er suddenly felt that this wasn't so bad; having such a powerful master suggested a bright future for her development.

This thought became even more deeply ingrained in Jiao Mei’er’s heart after Gu Xiechen collected the jade stone with its powerful defense and the thatched huts, bestowing them upon her. Such a master was indeed excellent. The Demon Kings of the Ten Directions Hell would never bestow precious immortal artifacts upon a non-combatant race like the Succubus Demonesses, whom they viewed merely as sources of pleasure.

After eliminating the first wave of attacking Star Alliance cultivators, Gu Xiechen commanded the Paradise Star Guard Army to mobilize. The Death Starships and White Wing-class battleships swept through the joint fleet in the Alpha Star Sector. Against the absolutely superior Paradise Star Guard Army fleet, the Star Alliance standard Type-1 warships crumbled like toys molded from mud.

The Ten Heavenly Lords joined forces to set up an extremely powerful "Star Annihilation Formation" near the spatial jump gate connecting the Alpha Star Sector to the Paradise Star Sector. This grand formation, utilizing natural celestial bodies as tools, possessed the terrifying power to annihilate stars. Coupled with the thirty-six supreme immortal artifacts Gu Xiechen placed inside as the formation's core, the formation's might became even more terrifying. Even without active guidance, this formation was enough to incapacitate any Celestial Immortal below the Fourth Grade, preventing ordinary Star Alliance fleets from using the Alpha Star Sector as a staging ground.

Over the next month or so, the number of Star Alliance fleets arriving at the Paradise Star Sector increased daily, but Gu Xiechen demonstrated an extremely violent, even cold-blooded and ruthless approach. He attacked in tandem with Peng Hua and others, supported by the Death Starships and White Wing-class battleships. Every warship that arrived in the Paradise Star Sector was destroyed instantly. Unknowingly, a belt of derelict metal, measuring tens of millions of kilometers in length, width, and height, had formed in the outer space around Paradise Star, littered with countless pieces of battleship wreckage of various sizes—a truly horrifying sight.

Occasionally, a few cultivators, ranging in strength from Nascent Soul to Sixth Tribulation Loose Immortal, were mixed within the joint fleet. However, there were no longer any luxurious lineups like the first wave composed of more than a dozen Immortals. Facing these minor pests, Gu Xiechen and the others were too lazy to act themselves; Peng Hua simply captured them all and sent them via transport ships to Earth for the disciples of the Nine Nether Path to absorb.

Another half a month passed. Just as Gu Xiechen was cultivating on Paradise Star, meditating and continuously drawing upon the Yin and Yang energies surging from the Grand Yin Profound Orb and the Grand Yang Profound Orb, a delicate, ethereal aura flickered in the void, and an Immortal of exceptionally profound cultivation appeared.

Gu Xiechen immediately shot into the high heavens, intercepting the withered old man in a tattered, bright red Daoist robe whose hair resembled a messy bird’s nest.

Upon seeing this old man, Gu Xiechen was instantly stunned. In the group photo of the Flame Dragon Empire royal family that his only friend among the Six-Star Civilizations, Chi Long Lieyan, had shown him, this old man’s figure was present. According to Chi Long Lieyan’s explanation, this elder was the grand-uncle five generations removed from Chi Long Lieyan. His cultivation in the Heaven Burning Art had reached the level of Fourth-Grade Celestial Immortal, and his Buddhist Demon-Subduing Golden Body technique was so advanced that it was impervious to sword strikes and could withstand heavenly tribulations unscathed. Among the masters of the Flame Dragon Empire royal family, he ranked in the top three.

However, this old man named Lasco Lieyan was also the one with the most despicable character in the Flame Dragon Empire royalty. He was excessively fond of wine and women, possessed a vile nature, and spent his days wandering the Star Alliance, moonlighting in illegal activities such as piracy, banditry, theft, and pimping. Among the Star Alliance's list of the top one hundred thousand most dangerous wanted criminals, over nine hundred profiles belonged to various incarnations of this Lasco.

Seeing Raskov, a figure listed as untouchable by the Red Dragon Flame faction, Gu Xichen frowned.

A burst of purple light erupted, and the Giant Spirit God strode out, gripping his long Xuanhua Great Axe, swaggering forth to materialize directly behind Raskov. The giant axe hovered an inch from the old man Raskov’s neck. Immediately following, the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns also emerged from the purple light. Silently, they deployed the Ten Absolute Formations, sealing the surrounding void completely. Within the great formation, ten innate supreme treasures simultaneously locked onto Raskov’s figure; the array would activate the moment he dared to move.

Raskov stared at Gu Xichen in astonishment. He blinked his eyes several times, then cried out aggrievedly, “What is the meaning of this? What is the meaning of this? I am a guest!”

Gu Xichen roared decisively, “I welcome the Red Dragon Flame and all his kin here, but you alone are unwelcome! Mr. Raskov Flame, the highest-bounty target on the Star Alliance wanted list!”

The old man awkwardly scratched his greasy, reddish nose, forcing a dry laugh. “Ah? You know? Well, the thing is…”

Before his laughter finished, the old man suddenly rolled his eyes sharply and grabbed at the Giant Spirit God’s calf with a backhand, intending to fling him away. The divine might of the Buddhist Demon-Subduing Golden Body was truly mysterious and unfathomable. The old man’s shriveled, thin hands, resembling chicken claws, suddenly transformed, swelling to several zhang across, easily latching onto the Spirit God’s leg. Old Man Raskov chuckled triumphantly, “But, your master, Lord Zhenshen, truly dislikes negotiating under the threat of violence from others!”

“Hmph.” With a forceful exhalation, Old Man Raskov used all his strength to try and lift the Giant Spirit God to toss him. Yet, the Giant Spirit God stood firmly in place. His eyes, the size of cartwheels, blinked as he glanced at the old man. He weighed the long-handled Xuanhua Great Axe in his hand, tossed it aside, and drew a slightly smaller short-handled great axe from behind his back, gently using the axe head to buff the old man’s head. In the Giant Spirit God’s perception, he was merely lightly polishing the old man, but the old man let out a wretched scream: “Aooooh!” His desiccated body, previously barely six feet tall, instantly shrank to only four and a half feet. This casual rub from the Giant Spirit God nearly crushed every joint in the old man’s body.

“Don’t compete with Ju Ling in strength. Considering your seniority to the Red Dragon, I offer you a warning,” Gu Xichen said, crossing his arms, watching the old man hop and yell in place with great satisfaction. This unlucky old fellow probably had all his joints sprained. Tsk, didn't the Giant Spirit God even kindly choose a smaller axe? If he had used that big one…

Raskov managed to struggle and straighten his body to its original height. He twisted his waist, observing the Giant Spirit God with a ghostly expression before sighing dejectedly up at the sky, “Monster… Alas, but such a monster is good.”

Squinting his eyes, he scrutinized Gu Xichen up and down. The old man nodded and asked, “You are Gu Xichen? The one my unfortunate grand-nephew mentioned as someone absolutely trustworthy?”

Someone absolutely trustworthy? Gu Xichen’s heart stirred slightly. This Red Dragon Flame held such an assessment of him?

A faint warm current echoed in his chest. Gu Xichen said calmly, “We are friends. More than that, we are brothers.”

Raskov’s expression turned very serious, and he nodded. “Brothers, hmm. A man needs a few brothers. My unfortunate grand-nephew sent me to ask: are you willing to help me go to that place? The risk is immense, but the foreseeable rewards are equally vast, and it might just resolve your biggest current problem.”

That place… Again, that place!

Gu Xichen frowned. He naturally knew what that place meant. Hadn't the Wolf Pack been scheming against the Yavier Empire precisely for a top-secret jump channel? That channel led to some ancient ruin, and that ruin seemed vaguely connected to that place, suggesting a pathway there.

After a moment of silence, Gu Xichen looked at Raskov and asked, “Where is the Red Dragon Flame?”

Raskov shrugged, sneering, “Imprisoned.”

Without waiting for Gu Xichen to question further, Raskov meticulously explained everything that had transpired in the Yanlong Empire. The Red Dragon Flame was indeed imprisoned.

Davierlms was destroyed, and the Star Alliance headquarters was razed. But quickly, a new Davierlms was established, built right in the former Davierlms star system, even replicating the original architectural style. New Star Alliance Chairpersons and other figures emerged, swiftly suppressing the civil wars among the Six-Star Civilizations. These civilizations, which had been squabbling after losing their monarchs, rapidly elected new Emperors and returned under the dominion of the Star Alliance.

Subsequently, the Star Alliance issued a mandate of conquest against the Earth Federation, requiring all Six-Star Civilizations to commit all military forces to the assault.

The Red Dragon Flame was immediately arrested by Star Alliance Enforcement and thrown into prison for uttering a few dissenting opinions during the mobilization assembly. Without explanation or excuse, the Red Dragon Flame, the reigning Emperor of a Six-Star Civilization, was detained by the Star Alliance, which then casually selected the most inferior and timid junior member from the Yanlong Imperial family to take control of the empire’s authority.

It was also during that Star Alliance mobilization assembly that the freshly installed Star Alliance leadership presented detailed intelligence on the Earth Federation. This information was so meticulous it included Gu Xichen’s childhood physical examination blood type and his complete genomic chart, as well as details of his first outing with a female classmate during his youth, accompanied by a comprehensive psychoanalysis report on Gu Xichen. Beyond Gu Xichen’s data, intelligence on key Earth Federation figures like Poison Wolf, Xiao Yusheng, and the Bearded Commander was all present.

Even the combat habits and command styles of high, middle, and low-ranking officers within the Earth Federation military were laid bare, along with their service records and family organizational structures.

This intelligence had purportedly been presented by the head of intelligence for a Three-Star Civilization that had long harbored designs on the Earth Federation, yet this intelligence head died in a traffic accident!

The thick scent of conspiracy unsettled and enraged the Red Dragon Flame. That was why he questioned the need to deploy the forces of so many Six-Star Civilizations against a mere Earth Federation. The Red Dragon Flame even threw out a declaration: he could not bring himself to bully a tiny One-Star Civilization, and the Yanlong Empire would absolutely not participate in the attack on the Earth Federation. This very statement led to the Red Dragon Flame’s imprisonment. Had he not been a rare peak-level expert at the Planetary level, he would have already been executed.

The Red Dragon Flame was indeed a true friend. Gu Xichen clenched his fists. As for that detailed, almost absurd intelligence report, it was clearly the work of the Romans. Damn those Romans; they were single-mindedly intent on instigating a war between the Star Alliance and the Earth Federation. Look at them—they were even willing to sacrifice the Doom Guard Knights. What wouldn't they stoop to?

If he ever found those Romans, his first act would be to utterly annihilate that race that should have been destroyed long ago! Gu Xichen trembled with rage; he had already pronounced the Romans’ ultimate fate. Even if he had to employ the most brutal and inhumane methods from the Great Wasteland Scripture, he would utterly destroy the Romans!

Just because of their nonsensical conspiracy, how many elite soldiers had the Earth Federation already sacrificed, and how many more would they sacrifice in the future?

Taking a deep breath, Gu Xichen let out a low roar. He then asked Raskov, “What exactly is in that place? What does your Yanlong Empire intend to do there?”

Raskov spoke gravely, “What is in that place, we are not entirely clear ourselves. But it is evident that all core figures of the Star Alliance originate from that place. Although they operate with extreme secrecy, over the years, our major Six-Star Civilizations have been covertly monitoring this matter, and even various families within the Star Alliance are paying attention. That place must be the vital heart of the Star Alliance.” He shouted fiercely, “Historically, the Star Alliance has been devastated by various natural disasters and man-made calamities… seventeen times. Yet, every time the Star Alliance high command was destroyed, they would rebuild it within a few weeks, as if by magic! Even this time, when Davierlms was completely annihilated, they rebuilt a Davierlms in just a few months, and it was a hundred times larger than the previous one.”

Taking another deep breath, Raskov said excitedly, “To uncover the true face of the Star Alliance, to see its real foundation, we must go to that place!”

“It carries huge risks! Consider the sheer number of pinnacle experts the Star Alliance possesses!” Gu Xichen reminded Raskov.

Raskov declared proudly, “There are risks! But this is the best opportunity! The Star Alliance is sparing no expense to destroy the Earth Federation; they are sending one hundred and thirty Dragon Star Emissaries and two thousand seven hundred and fifty pinnacle experts of various cultivation levels!” He emphasized forcefully, “One hundred and thirty Dragon Star Emissaries, all at the Fifth Grade Celestial Immortal cultivation! Two thousand seven hundred and fifty pinnacle experts, with cultivation ranging from Fourth Grade Celestial Immortal down to early Celestial Immortal! How many experts do you think are left to rely on in that place?”

Gu Xichen gasped, his mind buzzing. One hundred and thirty Fifth Grade Celestial Immortals, over two thousand seven hundred Jade Immortal level experts! On the surface, this number wasn't terrifying; the immediate offensive power might even be less than what Gu Xichen controlled with his forty Death Star Ships. But these were living, sentient Immortals, not soulless mechanisms like the Death Star Ships that required a long cooldown after firing a mere First Grade Golden Immortal attack. There were countless methods to evade the Death Star Ships’ attacks, and even more ways to evade the White Wing class destroyers!

Moreover, the Death Stars originated from the Star Alliance, and the blueprints for the White Wing class destroyers also came from them. Gu Xichen wouldn't believe for a second that they hadn't planted backdoors within their own designs!

These one hundred and thirty Dragon Star Emissaries and over two thousand seven hundred Celestial Immortals were enough to obliterate the tiny Heaven Star a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand times over. If they truly intended it, they could certainly succeed.

“How much longer until they arrive?” Gu Xichen asked Raskov.

Raskov made a gesture: “Three years according to Star Alliance standard time! They are bringing an infinitely powerful Planet Destroyer Ship, possessing a destructive force a hundred times greater than a Death Star Ship! But this Planet Destroyer is too large and too slow. They will arrive here in three years.”

Three years? Gu Xichen suddenly asked, confused, “If it’s three years, why don’t those Dragon Star Emissaries and pinnacle experts rush here sooner? They have more than enough power to destroy this place.”

Raskov shook his head and said calmly, “The Star Alliance wishes to avoid any accidental casualties. Pinnacle experts at the Planetary level are simply too precious. How many Planetary experts did the twenty-six Six-Star Civilizations have combined? Even the Star Alliance cannot bear to sacrifice its elites needlessly.”

Then, they could only risk making a trip to that place.

Gu Xichen looked at Raskov.

Raskov slowly nodded, stating in a low voice, “Although that place is secret, it is the ruin of an ancient, grand battlefield. There, time and space have suffered distortions and fractures that we cannot comprehend. Therefore, there should be numerous top-secret channels leading to it. Even that group of little brats from the Wolf Pack found one, didn’t they?”

Taking a deep breath, Raskov ground out through clenched teeth, “Our Yanlong Empire possesses one such secret channel leading to that place. However, that channel has become very dangerous recently because it lies near the Viking Empire border, which has now turned into the nesting ground for a group of bizarre creatures. These damned things—we must evade them to reach the channel.”

A nest of strange creatures? The Viking Empire border? Gu Xichen shot Raskov a strange look, chuckled dryly a few times, and then reached an agreement with Raskov to jointly investigate that place.

Since they were going to wreak havoc in the Star Alliance's lair, thorough preparations were absolutely necessary.

Gu Xichen brought along a Death Star Ship and a massive quantity of Divine Crystals for the journey, along with piles of Zakla Crystals that looked like rivers. As for other supplies, large-scale destructive weapons were indispensable. All of the Earth Federation’s armories operated at full capacity, producing countless devastating weapons such as nuclear bombs, antimatter weaponry, and planetary shockwave bombs, all handed over to Gu Xichen.

The disciples of the Nine Nether Path sent Gu Xichen a huge amount of single-use talismans and magical artifacts—all utterly vicious, cruel, and shamelessly malicious items.

The disciples of the Kunlun Dao Sect provided Gu Xichen with newly refined ammunition and auxiliary spirit talismans. They even sent over a dozen immortal elixirs left by the ancestors of the Kunlun Dao Sect—a favor of immense magnitude. Those elixirs possessed the miraculous power to resurrect the dead and regenerate flesh, all crafted by the hands of Great Luo Golden Immortal level cultivators. Surviving to this day, they were all priceless treasures.

The Daoists of Zhongnan Mountain only sent Gu Xichen three Willow Puppet Effigies, all crafted by the founder of Zhongnan Mountain, Yin Xi. These puppets were reputed to be capable of substituting for a certain doom, ensuring survival through a fatal calamity unless a Saint personally intervened.

Clutching these three Willow Puppet Effigies, Gu Xichen couldn't utter another word. He simply bowed deeply to the disciples who had delivered the various items from the Kunlun Dao Sect and Zhongnan Mountain, then dragged the slack-jawed, drooling Raskov into the high sky. Unfurling his True Magnetic Two Forms Light Splitting Sword, Gu Xichen and Raskov vanished into the boundless void.

On Heaven Star, Miao Hua, Siren, Arupeya, Jiaomeier, and the Ten Heavenly Sovereigns remained behind to garrison the planet. With Heaven Star’s defense systems coupled with the Ten Absolute Formations, the planet was practically impregnable. Unless that legendary Planet Destroyer Ship arrived, Heaven Star’s safety was not a concern.

Gu Xichen brought only the Giant Spirit God with him to that place.

With Gu Xichen’s current Daoist magic and divine abilities, combined with the Giant Spirit God’s incomprehensible divine power, it was sufficient.

After a month of long-distance flight, the three—Gu Xichen, the Giant Spirit God, and Raskov—finally arrived at the Viking Empire border, having saved significant travel time by utilizing hundreds of top-secret spatial jump points provided by Raskov, and even traversing vast swathes of the cosmos through three legendary ancient teleportation arrays.

The thirty-seven core family members of the Yanlong Imperial lineage were already waiting there.

The leader was Baskin Flame, the highest-ranking and most deeply cultivated member of the Yanlong Imperial family, having reached the Fifth Grade Celestial Immortal level. He was an old man so senile he had forgotten his own name. His first words upon seeing Gu Xichen were: “Oh my, which one of my grandsons has returned?”

Gu Xichen was utterly taken aback, while the Yanlong Imperial contingent could only offer nervous, dry laughter.

[Ti: Dear reader, the current chapter has reached the final page of this book]