The hills and ridges, the trees and grasses, everything was steeped in the thick moonlight. The moonlight, seemingly carrying the scent of water, washed away the scorching breath from everything, granting the world a detached calm, a profound serenity.

Gu Xichen sat cross-legged atop the highest branch of the tallest tree on a great mountain peak, silver light subtly shrouding his form, a wisp of dark energy occasionally spewing from his chest.

Six months prior, he had marshaled a million troops to encircle the Auspicious Celestial Maiden with the Grand Array of the Heavenly Net. While their coordinated attack successfully severely wounded her due to her momentary lapse in vigilance, they had also been struck by an incomprehensible counterattack before she managed her escape.

The Corpse Emperor had lent seven-tenths of his power to Gu Xichen's strike, and having his soul heavily damaged, he had been forced to hide within the Grand Yin Profound Pearl, cultivating intensely, using the Yin energy to barely mend his severely injured spirit.

Gu Xichen's heart had also taken the impact of seven-tenths of the Corpse Emperor's sword strike; his Indestructible Profound Yellow Body had been pierced, and only now did he see the trend of finally forcing the sword energy entirely out of his body.

His muscles rippled and flowed like quicksilver, and with every twitch, an aura of absolute, formidable power surged forth. Gu Xichen devoted his entire focus to circulating the divine ability of the Indestructible Profound Yellow Body; the palm-sized, transparent hole in his chest gradually healed, leaving only a wound the size of a soybean.

When the moon reached its zenith, its Yin radiance reaching its peak, a massive influx of Yin energy erupted from the Grand Yin Profound Pearl, drawing the external moonlight to circulate around Gu Xichen, slowly dissolving and consuming the last trace of sword energy within his wound, restoring his physical body to perfection, yet somehow stronger than before the injury.

He clenched his fists with force, and Gu Xichen suddenly opened his eyes, letting out a few cold laughs.

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden was renowned across the Three Realms for being free from seals and restrictive laws, able to enter and exit all realms at will. Yet, she never dreamed that she possessed the profound divine ability to shift stars, displace constellations, invert heaven and earth, and use the enemy's strength against the enemy itself.

Indeed, one must never underestimate the beings of the world, especially the venerable veterans who enjoyed fame throughout the Three Realms since the Ancient Era—they are to be regarded with utmost seriousness.

"Auspicious Celestial Maiden, I am now committed to a long struggle against you all!"

With a cold smile, Gu Xichen took out a palm-sized azure jade mirror and forcefully breathed onto its surface.

A faint azure light sparked on the mirror, and dozens of extremely tiny, bright red dots appeared within the glow.

This jade mirror was refined personally by Gu Xichen; nearly every important disciple of the Nine Nether Dao possessed one.

The red dots within the azure light represented the locations of the Chaos Yang Pearls that Gu Xichen had scattered across the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths and the Mortal Realm over the past six months. The cluster of light where one larger dot was gathered marked the position of the string of twenty-four Chaos Yang Pearls held by the Auspicious Celestial Maiden.

With this jade mirror, the disciples of the Nine Nether Dao could roughly ascertain the whereabouts of the Auspicious Celestial Maiden, specifically which of the nineteen celestial realms within the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths she was in, and her general direction—north, south, east, or west. As it currently stood, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden seemed closer to a Chaos Yang Pearl Gu Xichen had dropped into the Mortal Realm three months ago, indicating a remote location tens of thousands of star domains away from the Spiral Star Domain.

With a cold sneer, Gu Xichen transformed, instantly becoming a gaunt, soot-black Daoist in grey robes, and shot off toward a distant mountain in a streak of water-light.

That mountain was the famous Treasure Basin within the Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm; spanning nearly a hundred billion li, it harbored countless rare mineral veins. It was currently controlled by the only remaining peak-stage Grand Unity Golden Immortal old monster in that realm, the Great Transformation Dharma King, yielding an immense amount of precious materials daily.

For the past six months, while recuperating and cultivating in the nearby ridges, Gu Xichen had set his sights on this treasure mountain. Six months was sufficient time for the Immortals under the Great Transformation Dharma King to excavate a substantial quantity of heavenly materials and earthly treasures—surely enough to satiate the Chaos Bell.

The water-light sped to the airspace above the vast mountain range. Gu Xichen let out a strange, cackling laugh, hastily concocting a title for himself and roaring loudly, "This humble Daoist is the Heaven Swallowing Ancestor of the Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm! You brats, hurry and offer all your treasures to this Ancestor!"

Before the Immortals guarding the mountain range below could react, Gu Xichen unleashed a Heaven-Shaking, Earth-Toppling divine ability. With a casual wave of his hands, a peak he had long targeted below him disintegrated into dust, transforming into a grey dragon nearly a hundred li thick that churned skyward. The two initial-grade Grand Unity Golden Immortals seated in meditation within the peak’s cave dwelling were caught completely off guard and swept up by Gu Xichen in one grab. The immense shockwave instantly knocked them unconscious.

With a harsh cry, Gu Xichen snatched the three large-capacity storage rings from their hands. He then pressed a single character onto the Dantian of each initial-grade Grand Unity Golden Immortal, driving a trace of Grand Yin Profound Blaze into their Dantians, incinerating the foundation of their Dao, causing their cultivation to plummet instantly to the level of Golden Core stage cultivators.

Unless someone capable of controlling Grand Yin energy could expel the Grand Yin Profound Blaze from their Dantians and then use heavenly materials and earthly treasures to rebuild their Dao foundation, these two Immortals would never advance beyond the Nascent Soul stage in their future cultivation.

The Chaos Bell, black and shadowy like a phantom, flickered out of the void. Gu Xichen tossed the three storage rings packed with heavenly materials into the Chaos Bell. Then, with a flash of water beneath his feet, he activated the Mirror Flower Water Moon Grand Yin Escape Technique. Utilizing the faint connections between the water veins across heaven and earth, Gu Xichen's figure abruptly shot skyward from a small stream tens of billions of li away.

Just as he emerged from the stream, Gu Xichen’s form flickered, transforming into an ordinary Immortal with an ethereal bearing, clad in apricot-yellow Daoist robes, possessing the cultivation of a second-rank Golden Immortal.

An incomparably potent and condensed divine sense, almost tangible, swept across heaven and earth. Wherever it passed, the wind and clouds changed color, and billions of living beings sensed the frenzied killing intent within the divine sense, simultaneously drawing in their own auras. This divine sense instantly scanned a space of a trillion li. Dozens of unlucky Immortals dressed in black Daoist robes were instantly annihilated by a single impact of the divine sense, their bodies exploding into dust.

"What a volatile temper, what formidable power—three parts stronger than that Corpse Transformation Ancestor. Truly worthy of being the oldest and most qualified hidden Immortal in the Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm!" Gu Xichen sensed the grand aura generated by the Great Transformation Dharma King’s divine sense churning through the world, and he chuckled derisively.

When Yuan Luo Heavenly Venerate, who possessed peak Grand Unity Golden Immortal cultivation in the Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm, was 'refined' by Gu Xichen’s grand array, the realm became the private domain of the Great Transformation Dharma King once he emerged from seclusion. All Immortals submitted to his command, rendering him the absolute authority, wielding all the prestige and power of the Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm.

Gu Xichen, however, had just looted a massive quantity of heavenly materials and earthly treasures right under his nose—an undeniable slap across the Great Transformation Dharma King’s face.

The almost tangible divine sense continued to writhe wildly across the heavens. Hundreds more Immortals, dressed in black, dark blue, light purple, and dark grey Daoist robes, were slain by the enraged Great Transformation Dharma King. Gu Xichen merely shook his head indifferently, stepping onto a streak of water-light, and silently sped far away.

Suddenly, the jade mirror hanging at his waist flashed with azure light. The red dot representing the Auspicious Celestial Maiden abruptly shifted position, now less than three hundred million li away from the Chaos Yang Pearl Gu Xichen had placed in the center of the Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm.

Coincidentally, at that precise moment, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden emerged, her face pale as iron, floating elegantly upon a vibrantly colored, multicolored tapestry.

The Corpse Emperor’s sword strike that pierced the Auspicious Celestial Maiden’s body, even though she had transferred seven-tenths of the sword energy onto Gu Xichen, had still severely injured her. Seeing her now, her complexion was noticeably poor, and the spiritual light around her body was dim and rigid, lacking the smooth, agile quality she possessed that day.

Clearly, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden was not Gu Xichen; her physical body was not as robust, and the injury she sustained was far more grievous to her than it was to him.

Squinting at the Auspicious Celestial Maiden, Gu Xichen swiftly lowered his head. Like several passing Immortals nearby, he cautiously retreated several paces, accelerating his escape light and quickly moving away into the distance.

The space before the Auspicious Celestial Maiden suddenly brightened, and a cloud chariot emitting billions of azure rays burst forth, pulled by three azure lions. The three lions pulling the carriage were clearly exotic divine beasts, their entire bodies covered in azure fur resembling inlaid emeralds, every single strand of hair emitting a faint blue shimmer. The cloud chariot itself was solemn and magnificent, adorned with countless ancient, rustic patterns depicting Immortals battling heaven and earth, radiating an air of true kingship.

A gray-robed elder, three zhang tall with an ancient countenance, sat enthroned on the cloud chariot. Upon seeing the Auspicious Celestial Maiden, the elder immediately reached out and grabbed her slender waist, booming, "Celestial Maiden, I apologize for not greeting you sooner, ha ha ha!"

The multicolored tapestry beneath the Auspicious Celestial Maiden swayed slightly, subtly evading the Great Transformation Dharma King's outstretched arm. She said coldly, "I received the most urgent alarm signal from the lower realm. What exactly is happening?"

Whether intentionally or not, while she evaded the Great Transformation Dharma King’s overtly flirtatious grasp, her small waist just grazed the tips of the Great Transformation Dharma King’s fingers. The astonishing softness, smoothness, and resilience of her waist caused the Dharma King's fingers to twitch, compelling him to swallow heavily.

The Great Transformation Dharma King laughed awkwardly a few times, then said in a deep voice, "Nothing more than a few clowns stealing the materials mined over the last half-year. Celestial Maiden, there is no need for alarm. This Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm is now my territory; those young scoundrels cannot escape!"

Hearing that the materials mined from the largest mine in the Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm over the past six months had been stolen, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden's expression instantly shifted. She hissed sharply, "The materials were stolen? Damn it, is the Dharma King simply going to watch him escape?"

Being directly accused, the Great Transformation Dharma King's face turned exceptionally ugly. He mumbled a few evasive words, looking everywhere but meeting her gaze, yet he did not directly answer the Auspicious Celestial Maiden’s question. At the time the incident occurred, he had been enjoying the company of several Asura beauties gifted by the Celestial Maiden and simply hadn't reacted in time. Otherwise, how could such a rogue escape his grasp?

The Great Transformation Dharma King chuckled dryly, his gaze lingering on the Auspicious Celestial Maiden's picturesque face, and he couldn't help but feel a stirring of emotion. He lowered his status and invited the Auspicious Celestial Maiden to rest in his cave dwelling for a while. He thumped his chest, swearing that he would certainly capture the audacious rogue and hand him over to the Celestial Maiden for venting her anger.

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden appeared hesitant for a moment, then nodded, accepting the Great Transformation Dharma King's invitation.

"Heh heh, resorting to seduction now? Too bad, old cat sees the fish but can't eat it. Pitiful, pitiful!"

Gu Xichen, having retreated less than a thousand li, inwardly mocked the Great Transformation Dharma King several times. When he saw that the Dharma King's entire attention was focused on the Auspicious Celestial Maiden, diligently inviting her onto his cloud chariot, Gu Xichen cast an Invisibility Spell, his figure silently merging with the void.

Approaching the Great Transformation Dharma King's cloud chariot cautiously, the three azure lions pulling the chariot suddenly shook their heads and roared loudly, as if sensing Gu Xichen's approach. Faster than thought, Gu Xichen slapped his waist with his left hand. The Profound Ice Rope, refined over eons by the True Lord of Grand Yin, flew up from his waist, transforming into a vast, white ice dragon that lunged straight toward the Great Transformation Dharma King.

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden reacted with extreme speed. Her figure flickered, and she detached herself from the Great Transformation Dharma King's cloud chariot, instantly vanishing into the void.

The Great Transformation Dharma King, however, had grown too accustomed to ease and luxury. In that moment of confusion, he hadn't realized he was being ambushed. He hadn't personally taken action in so many years; he had even forgotten when he last fought with his own hands. His combat instinct and awareness had been completely lost.

Fortunately, his cloud chariot was an extraordinary treasure. Vast expanses of azure light and colorful radiance automatically erupted, transforming into a curtain of blue light that shielded his body. The three azure lions spat out green rainbows and unleashed myriad rays of light from their hooves, turning into three streams of light that circled the cloud chariot rapidly, snarling and roaring ferociously at the invisible Gu Xichen.

However, the Profound Ice Rope was a unique treasure painstakingly forged by the True Lord of Grand Yin. Though it was artificially refined, its power far surpassed that of an ordinary Innate Magical Treasure. The white dragon, a hundred li long, bared its fangs and claws, lunging forward. First, its long tail whipped out, shattering a section of the void, shaking the Auspicious Celestial Maiden out from where she was concealed. A white rainbow instantly coiled around her, binding her tightly in a long, crystalline rope radiating biting cold.

The Profound Ice Rope shook again, whipping around the Great Transformation Dharma King's cloud chariot. The three azure lions immediately let out miserable howls, their entire bodies coated in thick layers of frost, plummeting downward like meteorites.

The cloud chariot, protected by a boundless display of azure light and radiance, was ensnared, twisted, and crushed by the Profound Ice Rope as easily as tofu under a ten-thousand-ton hydraulic press. The Great Transformation Dharma King grunted, but he was thoroughly bound by the Profound Ice Rope, coiled and crisscrossed by cords like a rice dumpling.

The Great Transformation Dharma King roared, "Audacious! Do you know who I am?"

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden cried out in shock, "Evil Dragon Venerable Gu Xichen, it truly is your mischief!"

Without a word, Gu Xichen drew the Pangu Banner and blasted a stream of Chaos Qi at the two of them. Specks of spiritual light flickered on the Pangu Banner, and with a slight twist of Gu Xichen's wrist, the entire Cave Origin Responding Heaven Realm faintly trembled. The void spanning ten thousand li was churned into a chaotic slurry by the Chaos Qi. The myriad stars transformed into massive, angular star-shards, falling downward one after another, continuously merging into the Chaos Qi unleashed by the Pangu Banner.

The Great Transformation Dharma King didn't even have time to unleash his magical powers before being enveloped by the Profound Ice Rope. Biting cold sealed his spiritual meridians, rendering him incapable of using any magic. He could only watch helplessly as a torrent of Chaos Qi roared toward him, blasting his enormous head into powder.

With a tragic shriek, the Great Transformation Dharma King's soul fled his body, attempting to escape. But the Profound Ice Rope immediately emitted cold light, encircling his soul, refusing to let him flee.

Gu Xichen shook his wrist again, blasting another stream of Chaos Qi toward the Great Transformation Dharma King's soul.

The Great Transformation Dharma King was utterly terrified. He screamed hoarsely, "Shameless brat! I shall take you down with me!"

A single flickering purple flame erupted from within his soul; the Great Transformation Dharma King positioned himself to self-detonate his spirit.

Gu Xichen hesitated for a moment. The Profound Ice Rope abruptly transformed back into a white rainbow, flying back to his waist, and the Chaos Qi that was about to strike him instantly changed direction, piercing toward the Auspicious Celestial Maiden instead. The Great Transformation Dharma King let out a muffled cry and darted away silently, moving with astonishing speed until he vanished without a trace in the blink of an eye.

The enraged Auspicious Celestial Maiden flickered, deftly escaping the restraint of the Profound Ice Rope. She pointed at Gu Xichen and roared fiercely, "Evil Dragon Venerable Gu Xichen, I, Guardian of the Heavens, will fight you to the death! You, you, you, you are utterly despicable! You deserve death!"

Gu Xichen gave the Auspicious Celestial Maiden no chance to react. The Chaos Qi stirred up by the Pangu Banner had coalesced into the Heavenly Thunder of Chaos Opening, striking down everywhere, terrifying the Auspicious Celestial Maiden into a pale fright. She hastily employed evasive techniques, darting erratically through the void.

While dodging the bombardment of countless Chaos Divine Thunders, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden ground her teeth and vehemently accused Gu Xichen, "If you insist on making trouble for us, aren't you afraid that I will infiltrate the Spiral Star Domain and assassinate your disciples?"

Before her words had even finished, a loud crashing sound erupted behind the Auspicious Celestial Maiden. The Monkey, Yang Jian, the Sang Family brothers, and dozens of other famous divine beings from the Three Realms surged forth, wielding various weapons and launching a full-force attack against the Auspicious Celestial Maiden simultaneously.

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden used every trick she knew to narrowly avoid the attacks of the other generals, but the Monkey’s staff slammed into her left shoulder, nearly shattering half of her body. Yang Jian's blade pierced her calf, piercing through her tender leg that looked as if it were molded from butter.

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden screamed in pain, angrily denouncing, "Attacking from behind! Is there any more shameless act in the Three Realms?"

Gu Xichen approached the Auspicious Celestial Maiden with a cold smile and punched her in the chest, nearly knocking the breath out of her.

Gu Xichen sneered, "Who do you think we are? The Two Sages of Buddhism? They naturally fight you head-on to maintain their reputation, forcibly sealing you away. We are not Saints; as long as we can deal with you, what’s wrong with a sneak attack?"

The Monkey roared with mocking laughter, "Celestial Maiden, you are lucky to be alive. If those two Sages had resorted to ambushing you from behind like us, you would have long since turned to dust!"

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden’s face turned white, and she suddenly transformed into a streak of spiritual light, shooting away rapidly into an unknown location.

Just as Gu Xichen and the Monkey said, while the Auspicious Celestial Maiden could enter and exit various seals and formations, moving freely between the heavens, it did not mean her divine abilities and magical power were truly supreme. Her physical body was not strong, and her divine power and magic were even inferior to those of the Monkey and Yang Jian. She was not an eternally undying Saint. Her only advantage was that others couldn't capture or confine her.

But if the enemy didn't try to capture or confine her, but instead focused solely on killing her with a backstab, she could indeed be killed! Just like the Monkey said, if the Two Sages of Buddhism had intended to eliminate her back then, rather than trying to subdue her, a single sneak attack from the Saints would have long since reduced the Auspicious Celestial Maiden to ash.

Pitiable that for so many years she truly believed she had achieved ultimate perfection and that no one in the Three Realms could harm her, brazenly showing herself and stirring up trouble everywhere. It was simply that she hadn't encountered a ruthless character like Gu Xichen before.

Now, Gu Xichen's shameless barrage of sneak attacks proved something: the Auspicious Celestial Maiden had been severely wounded by him twice in half a year.

Staring in the direction where the Auspicious Celestial Maiden had fled, Gu Xichen suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

"This woman will be quieter now, won't she be less arrogant?"

The Auspicious Celestial Maiden indeed became much more subdued and cautious in her actions. However, Gu Xichen’s behavior became utterly arrogant. He led a group of subordinates, going around launching sneak attacks, swindling treasures, and every so often selecting a target in the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths to brutally raid. Within twenty or thirty years, countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures had been plundered, plunging the entire Nine Heavens and Ten Earths into widespread panic.

The Great Transformation Dharma King, the Corpse Transformation Ancestor, and other major powers had convened to discuss ways to deal with Gu Xichen, but they were beaten soundly by his relentless sneak attacks. The Great Transformation Dharma King was almost obliterated, and the Corpse Transformation Ancestor had an arm severed by a stab in the back from the Corpse Emperor.

The matter of the Nine Nether Dao besieging the Great Cold Snow Mountain was indirectly brought up again, and the heavy losses sustained there caused the major powers of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths to change color. For a time, the notorious reputation of the Nine Nether Dao, especially that of the Black Dragon Venerable Gu Xichen, truly reached the point where it could quiet crying children.

Yet, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden proved resilient. After disappearing for several years to heal her injuries, she reappeared, determined to keep entangled with Gu Xichen. Wherever Gu Xichen rushed to raid, she moved about to intercept the heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Although Gu Xichen successfully looted countless resources, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden also successfully acquired a large amount of materials they desperately needed.

This entanglement continued for over a hundred years. Gu Xichen’s Chaos Bell had devoured an unknown quantity of treasures, developing formidable power and abilities. His own cultivation also rose steadily, his divine abilities and magic becoming exceedingly smooth and masterful.

One day, Gu Xichen confronted the Auspicious Celestial Maiden head-on in the Non-Joys Heaven of Parinirvana. This time, the Auspicious Celestial Maiden brought nearly a hundred experts from the Dragon Clan within the Eightfold Path of Devas and Nagas, who had manifested human forms to fiercely battle the Monkey and the other divine generals. The Auspicious Celestial Maiden herself wielded the Chaos Yang Pearl, which she had refined with her primordial spirit into a life-bound magical artifact, struggling fiercely against Gu Xichen through gritted teeth.

Twenty-four Hunyuan Pearls transformed into twenty-four miniature suns, suspended high in the void. Limitless waves of fire rolled forth, spewing from the pearls, manifesting as world-destroying Red Lotus Karmic Fire that threatened to melt the very fabric of space into blue smoke. Within this inferno, the Goddess was encased by twenty-four clusters of crimson light, her defenses seamless, leaving no gap to penetrate—not from the front, back, sides, nor left, making it impossible to land a sneak attack.

feigned a clumsy, desperate attempt to fend off ’s assault, constantly driven backward by the surging Red Lotus Karmic Fire.

With triumphant arrogance, unleashed a barrage of provocative shouts toward , her laughter punctuating the continuous bombardment of powerful incantations hurled his way.

Secretly chuckling, appeared harried as he struggled to parry the tide-like onslaught from . Suddenly, he let out a piercing shriek, struck squarely on his chest by one of the Hunyuan Pearls. Blood immediately streamed from all seven of his orifices as he scrambled backward, fleeing at breakneck speed.

The Monkey, , and the assembled deities cried out in alarm, swiftly transforming into streaks of purple light and rushing back into the Sea of Consciousness of .

morphed into a flash of watery light, vanishing millions of li forward in an instant. pursued him with triumphant zeal, the twenty-four Hunyuan Pearls dazzling beside her.

The chase continued until burst out of the Paranirmita-vasavartin Heaven and plunged straight into the Frozen Hell.

Vast sheets of freezing wind slammed into his face. Seemingly panicked and without direction, dashed haphazardly toward the mountain range of molten iron and black stone.

Comrades, are there any monthly tickets left?

This monthly ticket business is like chicken ribs—tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard. Everyone keeps clamoring for them, so Pig Head shall squeal a few times too! If there are any monthly tickets remaining, please hurl a few more my way! (To be continued; to know what happens next, please H