Alas, the Void! A purple light flashed in opposition, and in that instant, several star domains were flung far behind.

For those of Gu Xiechen’s cultivation level, the journey from the Spiral Star Domain to the Myriad Immortals Star would normally take half a month. Yet, Yuanluo Tianzun, arrayed in full regalia and accompanied by a vast retinue of over ten thousand attendant immortals, arrived above the Tael Star in a mere three hours.

Seated within his cloud carriage drawn by nine dragons, Yuanluo Tianzun casually pointed a finger. A streak of golden light drifted down, transforming into an inscribed talisman that floated into the atmosphere of the Tael Star. A profound roar immediately echoed through the surrounding void. Hues of multicolored radiance flashed everywhere as vast stretches of Bodhi Forest manifested out of thin air, carpeted with golden lotuses and brimming with clear springs. Within the Bodhi Forest, countless enchanting maidens and monstrous, grim-visaged corpse-beasts performed a heavenly-demonic dance, while celestial music drifted faintly. Yet, across the sky hung a horizontal river of blood, where the ethereal figures of the immortal realm and the shadowy menace of the blood sea coexisted, as if a sudden melding of heaven and hell had occurred. Even Yuanluo Tianzun himself paused, momentarily stunned.

After a long moment, Yuanluo Tianzun clapped his hands and laughed toward the few disciples attending him:

“This Elder Xie Long certainly has a few tricks up his sleeve. Tell me, are these illusions or tangible realities?”

The two strongest among Yuanluo Tianzun’s retainers already possessed the cultivation of First Grade Great Overarching Golden Immortals, while the other four were all at the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm. They had followed Yuanluo Tianzun for hundreds of Kalpas, making them intimately familiar with his every word and gesture. Hearing their Master pose such a question, they were instantly aghast to realize that even their Master could not definitively grasp whether the phenomena ahead were real or illusory!

How could this be? The group hurriedly focused their divine senses towards the images ahead, and the result filled them with utter horror.

The Bodhi Forest, the clear springs and golden lotuses, the spectral images in the blood sea—all seemed to be solid objects existing in reality. Yet, as their divine senses swept over them, they felt as though something essential was missing, though precisely what that lack was, none of them could discern.

Yuanluo Tianzun’s eldest disciple, Immortal Lord Miaoguang, whose strength matched that of a First Grade Great Overarching Golden Immortal, could only smile wryly and shake his head. He respectfully bowed to Yuanluo Tianzun, his voice dry: “We implore Master for guidance. Your humble disciples’ understanding is shallow; we truly cannot differentiate the nature of this phenomenon.”

Immortal Lord Miaochen, another Great Overarching Golden Immortal, also shook his head, his pair of silkworm-like eyebrows tightly furrowed, twitching rapidly like two large caterpillars.

Yuanluo Tianzun let his eyelids droop in contemplation for a time before speaking vaguely and softly: “Real or illusion, it is nothing more than side paths and minor arts. One’s own cultivation is the true Golden Great Path—breaking through illusion to directly grasp one’s true nature. Have you not understood this principle yet?”

Immortal Lord Miaoguang, Immortal Lord Miaowei, along with the four junior brothers, exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with admiration: “What Master says is precisely true; it is the profound principle of the Great Dao!”

While the master and disciples were busy exchanging pleasantries, the Bodhi Forest ahead suddenly parted to the left and right, and a cloud gate shot out. Eight hundred armored Corpse Generals, bearing great banners and standards, led three thousand Daoists—handsome and radiating vibrant Daoist aura—in forming a battle line.

Although the cultivation of these Daoists varied only from Golden Core to Nascent Soul stage, making them unremarkable in Yuanluo Tianzun’s view, the items these Daoists held made Yuanluo Tianzun’s eyes burn with desire. These were three thousand reed pipe instruments, forged from the finest materials, equivalent in quality to High-Grade Immortal Artifacts. The three thousand Daoists played by blowing, strumming, beating, and striking, creating an overwhelming symphony whose beautiful sounds flowed ceaselessly.

What was especially striking was that the reed instruments were inlaid with various jewels, which also housed intricate arrays. As the music swelled, the jewels on the instruments emitted brilliant lights that interwoven, transforming into a tapestry of neon radiance drifting in the void, lending these young Daoists an added touch of celestial grace.

Yuanluo Tianzun merely smiled and shook his head. Such a spectacle, in his view, was quite ordinary; the processions of the Hegemons of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were far grander. However, for Gu Xiechen to arrange such a display, given his current standing, was certainly a gesture of goodwill.

A single, extremely long beam of golden light shot out from the center of the procession, landing perfectly before Yuanluo Tianzun’s cloud carriage—it was a rainbow bridge of welcome.

Immediately following, Gu Xiechen, accompanied by Penghua and others, swiftly advanced across the rainbow bridge, bowing in respectful greeting toward Yuanluo Tianzun from a distance.

Yuanluo Tianzun nodded, and under Gu Xiechen’s guidance, the cloud carriage and its cohort of over ten thousand immortals proceeded along the golden bridge onto the Tael Star.

The descent was swift. The group soon arrived above Cloud Splendor Mountain. Gu Xiechen formed an incantation seal and chanted a series of murmuring spells before launching several dozen streaks of spiritual light towards the dense vapor shrouding the mountain, piercing the clouds to reveal a scene of bright landscapes.

Unlike when Jade Crown Child and Flying Star Daoist had visited, the astonishing torrent of starlight that once graced Cloud Splendor Mountain was gone. The abundant spiritual energy had vanished, as had the spiritual elixirs like Rouzheng rolling across the ground, and the hordes of minor demons that once roamed the peaks.

Cloud Splendor Mountain, at this moment, was merely a blessed grotto-heaven with spiritual energy tens of times richer than most places in the Mortal Realm. While it was a superior location for cultivation, it was hardly extraordinary. Yuanluo Tianzun observed this and paid the mountain little mind; in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, any random desolate mountain possessed spiritual energy a hundred times more abundant, making Cloud Splendor Mountain unworthy of deep interest.

Gu Xiechen had hidden away all the treasures of Cloud Splendor Mountain, and he had his reasons for doing so.

The saying went: one is not afraid of thieves stealing, but of thieves coveting. Having already revealed his sharp edge, to then carelessly expose his rich foundations would be courting death. Besides, centuries ago, the Demonic Dragon Gen had devoured the two unfortunate souls, Jade Crown Child and Flying Star Daoist. Upon absorbing the memories from their primordial spirits, he discovered they had never transmitted the true state of Cloud Splendor Mountain to the Upper Realm. They seemed intent on keeping this secret for their own greater benefit.

Since that was the case, Gu Xiechen was happy to conceal his true depth. Having slain three Great Overarching Golden Immortals already provided sufficient power to awe various immortals; there was no need to further masquerade as an ancient cultivator to intimidate others. Thus, Cloud Splendor Mountain presented this subdued appearance. Had Gu Xiechen not worried about appearing too extreme, Penghua and the others would have gladly created a few deserts on the mountain just to feign poverty.

Casting a glance over Cloud Splendor Mountain, Yuanluo Tianzun subtly swept his divine sense across the entirety of the Tael Star, inside and out. He nodded with satisfaction: “Elder, your residence seems somewhat austere. The Yuanluo Palace manages several excellent grotto-heavens. If Elder does not disdain them, please select one.”

A free offer? A grotto-heaven from the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths?

This Yuanluo Tianzun had been a carefully selected target by Gu Xiechen for allegiance. His foundation lay in the Grotto of Primordial Transformation and Resonance Heaven, the very place where the True Lord of Great Yin once cultivated in seclusion. The grotto-heavens under his jurisdiction were naturally situated in that realm. Gu Xiechen was not one to refuse charity; he thanked Yuanluo Tianzun cheerfully and allowed himself to be led towards the main cave dwelling of Cloud Splendor Mountain.

After meticulous efforts in cosmetic enhancement, the main dwelling of Cloud Splendor Mountain, though now gleaming with gold and radiating treasures, appeared somewhat crude and vulgar in Yuanluo Tianzun’s eyes. After all, these were immortals from the Lower Realm; their taste and standards could not compare to those of the immortals in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths!

Sighing internally, Yuanluo Tianzun commanded Immortal Lord Miaoguang in front of Gu Xiechen to remember to send several sets of immortal dwelling furnishings refined by the Yuanluo Palace to Gu Xiechen later, so he could properly adorn Cloud Splendor Mountain.

Gu Xiechen’s eyes lit up. He quickly thanked Yuanluo Tianzun, then seized the opportunity to request a batch of rare immortal herb seeds from him. Penghua’s Netherworld Fan was excellent for cultivating spiritual herbs, but its variety of flora was incomplete. It was a perfect chance to scrape a supply of fine species from Yuanluo Tianzun.

Observing the spiritually barren Cloud Splendor Mountain, Yuanluo Tianzun couldn't help but give a dry smile. In a place so lacking in spiritual energy, what could possibly grow even from the finest immortal herb seeds? However, considering that Gu Xiechen was ultimately an immortal who cultivated in the Lower Realm—even if he had fortuitously obtained some profound techniques and power from the Ancient Immortal—his insight and experience were still somewhat lacking.

Understanding the objective limitations of Gu Xiechen, Yuanluo Tianzun discreetly instructed Immortal Lord Miaochen to prepare a set of immortal herb seeds to be sent to Gu Xiechen upon their return, and casually requested Miaochen also send over a batch of already matured immortal herbs.

The alchemical skills of the Yuanluo Palace were somewhat subpar. These immortal herbs had previously only been used for exchanging finished medicinal pills, and the exchange ratio was poor. Trading a batch of somewhat less useful seeds and herbs for Gu Xiechen’s goodwill was a highly profitable transaction. Once seated in the main dwelling, several maidservants, transformed from flower spirits and plant sprites, cautiously presented tea with disappointingly flat flavor.

Yuanluo Tianzun graciously sipped half a cup, forcefully suppressing the urge to spit the entire thing out, and cheerfully asked Gu Xiechen, “Did the Great Sage Linggan perish by your hand?”

Gu Xiechen, seated nearby, nodded and stated calmly, “Yes. He behaved with excessive arrogance. This humble Daoist was forced to slay him and his two accomplices.”

Yuanluo Tianzun immediately pressed, “How did you manage to kill him? There were three of them—Linggan, Huangjiao, and Qingqiao—all Great Overarching Golden Immortals!”

After a moment of thought, Gu Xiechen glanced at Yuanluo Tianzun and hesitantly produced a dark purple Yin Thunder Seed, about the size of a fist. It radiated a black-purple faint glow, within which a sliver of intensely powerful dark energy constantly churned.

Yuanluo Tianzun’s expression shifted. Staring at the Yin Thunder Seed, he uttered word by word: “The Devouring Power of the Luo Eye.”

Gu Xiechen feigned extreme surprise, asking breathlessly, “Tianzun recognizes the Power of the Luo Eye?”

Yuanluo Tianzun offered a wry smile. This was clearly stating the obvious. Among the Great Overarching Golden Immortals of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths, he was among the most senior. The ancient records detailed the characteristics of the Celestial Star Lords from antiquity; how could such a distinct power as the Luo Eye not be recognized?

He also recognized the method used to refine this villainous thunderbolt—it was a technique for condensing Yin Thunder into a quasi-magical treasure that could be used multiple times, though its power would significantly diminish with each use. Judging by the archaic yet ferocious talisman markings engraved on the seed’s surface, this was undoubtedly a formidable item created by an ancient Great Divine Power.

Yuanluo Tianzun only recognized the talisman script. Were he asked to forge such a Yin Thunder Seed himself, it would be impossible. Thus, he never once considered that Gu Xiechen had personally refined this Yin Thunder Seed just two days prior!

The Luo Eye aura currently emanating from the fist-sized Yin Thunder was equivalent to the total magical power possessed by a First Grade Great Overarching Golden Immortal. This was merely the residual power fluctuation after use. One could imagine how tremendous the thunder seed’s power was before it was employed.

Truly a terrifying object capable of slaying a Great Overarching Golden Immortal!

Yuanluo Tianzun glanced at the Yin Thunder Seed, nodded in satisfaction, and signaled Gu Xiechen to put it away.

He cleared his throat lightly and chuckled, “Linggan and the others brought this upon themselves. Knowing that Elder was already a member of my Yuanluo Palace, they still dared to attack you. I have already issued a decree to completely eradicate the influence of those three.”

Pausing slightly, Yuanluo Tianzun added with a faint smile, “Let this matter rest. About that matter Elder mentioned to me last time…”

Gu Xiechen smiled as if suddenly enlightened. He nodded, transmitting a message to summon Siren into the cave dwelling.

Siren stood respectfully, cupping his hands to salute Yuanluo Tianzun. Gu Xiechen murmured a few instructions beside him, and Siren pulled out a black crystal sphere, roughly the size of a human head, from his sleeve. He chanted a few bizarre incantations, then stroked the crystal sphere for a while before gently pushing the faintly glowing sphere forward. The crystal floated to a stop before Yuanluo Tianzun.

Yuanluo Tianzun glanced at Siren, then fixed his gaze intently on the crystal sphere.

A bright light erupted from the sphere, revealing the image of a star-filled expanse within the illumination.

It depicted a massive black hole situated at the center of a star system. Given the small scale of the system, the presence of such an enormous black hole within it clearly defied normal understanding.

Suddenly, the black hole ruptured, and a beautiful, solemn woman with a human torso and a serpentine tail flew out. She was struggling to support a small, yellow ball of earthy light, which she exerted herself to toss into the void. Immediately afterward, her form disintegrated into countless motes of light, gradually merging into the light sphere.

A colossal planet gradually expanded from that earthy light, swelling until it spanned billions of miles in circumference. Along with the planet’s growth, the forms of everything else in that star system also changed.

An exceedingly subtle aura slowly diffused from the crystal sphere. Siren explained coldly from the side, “This is a wisp of aura I secretly managed to conceal while spying on that woman.”

Siren paused, frowning, “It was this single wisp of aura that nearly shattered my soul.”

Yuanluo Tianzun and his disciples’ eyes were blazing with light. He nodded repeatedly in extreme delight: “Correct, it is this aura, this is the aura of the Saintess Nüwa!”

Grinning so widely his mouth couldn't close, Yuanluo Tianzun pointed at Siren and laughed, “You have incredible audacity! You dared to secretly intercept a wisp of the aura of the Saintess Nüwa! What immense fortune you possess that you could escape! Alas, the Saintess Nüwa possesses the most compassionate heart; that is why you were lucky enough to survive! If it had been one of the others…”

He let out a few strange laughs, then happily inclined his head toward Gu Xiechen: “Indeed, whatever could alarm the Saintess Nüwa must be the Human Origin Star! This aura, this manifestation—it is the Human Origin Star! Elder Xie Long, you have rendered the Yuanluo Palace a monumental service!”

Gu Xiechen smiled faintly and nodded, “It is my honor to offer a meager effort to Tianzun. Should Tianzun achieve great things in the future, I only ask…”

Yuanluo Tianzun nodded repeatedly, smiling, “That is natural, absolutely natural! Miaoguang, Miaochen, from now on, treat Elder Xie Long with the same respect you show to your master. No disrespect is allowed!”

Immortal Lord Miaoguang and Immortal Lord Miaochen responded joyfully. They were already full of goodwill toward Gu Xiechen, as they knew the significance of finding even a tiny trace left by the Saintess Nüwa for the immortals of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.

Perhaps Yuanluo Tianzun would be the first Saint to emerge since the sudden disappearance of the Saints in antiquity?

Gu Xiechen smiled, stood up, and proposed, “In that case, why don’t we set off for the Human Origin Star immediately?”

Yuanluo Tianzun’s eyes lit up, and he hurriedly nodded, laughing, “Excellent!”

Just then, a piercing sound of tearing through the air echoed from outside the cave dwelling. A streak of dark green decree-light shot toward the heavens, instantly vanishing into the void.

Yuanluo Tianzun fixed the nearly one hundred attendant immortals guarding the cave entrance with a glare fierce enough to devour men.

Gu Xiechen felt a surge of gloom. Who had planted a spy among Yuanluo Tianzun’s closest attendants?

Planting a spy near someone at the peak of the Great Overarching Golden Immortal level—was that even possible?

Now, the Earth might be targeted!

He had not anticipated such trouble!

The people of the Earth Federation would need to evacuate quickly; the Earth could no longer be safe!

He subtly gave Siren a meaningful glance. Siren understood, and without making a sound, transmitted the necessary orders. (To be continued)…