Lu Wubing stood upon a fragment of floating land, gazing down into the expanse below.

It was a world shaped like a disc upon a square base, yet now this realm lay utterly shattered. Not just the landmasses, but the very space within it was incomplete. Many of the foundational rules that once constituted the world had collapsed. In his estimation, it would fully disintegrate within another few thousand years at most.

"And also the place of her final Tribulation—"

Zong Shou held the tattered remnant of the Xuan Ming Golden Scroll, sighing deeply. None of the detailed records within his sect's ancient texts specified the exact location of Lin Xuan Shuang’s final demise. He had managed to locate this place purely by relying on the residual soul imprint embedded within this blank golden page, a feat achieved only after immense calculation and effort. Fortunately, it was not too far from the Yun Realm, taking him only a few days to reach.

This realm lay deeply concealed within the Sea of Illusions. It should have been newly formed, perhaps less than a hundred thousand years old. Judging by its sheer size, it was at least a Middle-Thousand World, yet it would vanish before life had even a chance to arise. This destruction was not due to natural evolution, but rather the result of external force. Most likely, an unprecedented catastrophe had descended upon it millennia ago.

However, only a power capable of so easily destroying an entire realm could truly manifest the terrifying might of the Ultimate Tribulation. And only in such a hidden world, deeply buried in the Sea of Illusions and utterly cut off from the outer domains, could a Venerable at the peak of the Saint Realm safely undergo tribulation, unafraid of external interference. It was now virtually certain: this was where True Man Xuan Shuang had perished.

"Hmm. This location feels somewhat peculiar—"

From the moment they entered this realm, Zong Shou had harbored this sensation. It was as if an indistinct gaze was fixed upon him, scrutinizing him from every direction. It made the hairs on his arms stand on end, a feeling of absolute dread. Yet, when Zong Shou searched high and low, he could find no one hiding here. Even deploying a supreme treasure like the Zhou Book yielded no sign.

Never mind, then! Deep within his own spirit, he felt no immediate danger. Moreover, if someone truly was here and could evade his spiritual perception, their cultivation must far surpass his own. If they held ill will, they could dispatch him with ease. Indeed, it was best to simply ignore it—

"Time is short; we can begin!"

At the movement of Zong Shou’s thought, Han Xi immediately responded. She shot him a cold glance before dispersing her six pairs of silver wings and flying three hundred zhang into the air. Surrounding her were dozens of brilliant silver glows—forty-eight in total, all taking human form. Three pairs of silver wings were slightly smaller than Han Xi’s own.

Since devouring the inner core of the Jiao Serpent, Han Xi’s greatest changes, aside from her form being virtually indistinguishable from human, were the sudden explosive increase in the number of her soldier-ants, and the silver Holy White Flame. Previously a mere showpiece with negligible destructive power, now, when fully ignited, even he, who mastered the methods of Origin and Termination, felt a profound apprehension. Most importantly, Han Xi had used the vital essence from the Jiao Serpent’s core to step directly into the Immortal Realm, and she could now speak—

To resurrect a Saint Realm Venerable, one first needed to delineate a colossal Spirit Array. The Qiang Tian Returning Liquid had no specific location requirement; a single drop of blood, a trace of soul essence, or even a strand of hair would suffice. But the person he sought to revive was, after all, a peak Saint Realm expert. Initiating the process at the very site of their demise would not only lower the risk but also make the endeavor significantly easier.

The method for the Resurrection Array was already part of the Cang Sheng Dao; several versions existed within the Scripture Pavilion. It seemed the Cang Sheng Dao had undertaken such tasks more than once or twice. As for materials, the treasures Zong Shou had plundered from the three Spirit Realm experts happened to cover everything needed. He merely had to select the most appropriate version based on the location and modify it slightly.

The scope of this array was vast, spreading across nearly seven hundred li. If Zong Shou had to draw every line himself, it might take him a month or two to complete. However, with Han Xi assisting, it became infinitely simpler. Zong Shou only needed to transmit the complete schematic of the grand array via their mental connection. Han Xi would then divide the pattern into countless segments, controlling her soldier-ants to draw them simultaneously. This was not only effortless but terrifyingly precise, leaving absolutely no flaws.

Zong Shou was only responsible for the core segments. In just half a day, the drawing was nearly complete. The entire grand array had taken tangible form, nearing completion.

Lu Wubing had also taken on responsibility for a portion of the array patterns, finishing almost simultaneously with Zong Shou. After verifying everything was correct, he watched the silver light clusters circling in the air, contemplating aloud, "My Lord, this Heaven and Earth Anomaly is ever more extraordinary the more I observe her. Even among her own kind, she must be a sovereign, a king. In all the Anomalies I have witnessed, whether in combat prowess or intelligence, she stands supreme. Yet, I wonder, my Lord, are you aware of the additional benefits a master gains upon entering the Immortal Realm when keeping a Heaven and Earth Anomaly as a protective spirit beast?"

Zong Shou chuckled; how could he not know? It was only because Han Xi was his innate guardian, linked by life and death, soul and intent, that he learned of these things so quickly. These Anomaly spirit beasts were far more than mere manifestations of worldly malice; they were often embodiments of a specific principle of the heavens and earth. The stronger their power, the more evident the favor of that law became—and Han Xi now resembled the very embodiment of light, omnipresent and instantaneous, the ultimate speed in the world. This benefit meant that the spirit beast's master could also easily grasp this Great Dao. Han Xi, having consumed the Jiao Serpent, now had enhancements to her original core, mastering two Daos—the manifestation of two distinct laws.

However, Zong Shou found Lu Wubing’s words slightly curious. "Innate Anomalies? Have you seen many of them?"

Lu Wubing nodded slightly upon hearing this. "Indeed, I have seen quite a few. If one speaks of accumulated malice, there is surely no place in the world that surpasses the Nine Desolations Death Prison. There, innate Anomalies are countless—if not eight thousand, then ten thousand are visible everywhere. My Lord will know when you travel there. But in my view, even placed within the Nine Desolations Death Prison, Han Xi would be exceptionally outstanding. Among those of the same rank, she should have few rivals."

Zong Shou paused for a moment, then snapped back to attention. Han Xi, meanwhile, her eyes flickering, scrutinized Lu Wubing closely, seemingly assessing whether his words held any truth.

"Have you grown addicted to devouring your own kind again?"

Zong Shou gave a cold sneer but made no move to suppress Han Xi’s desire. Now that Han Xi had stepped into the Immortal Realm, besides herself, the person who benefited directly was him. Just a few days prior, thanks to Han Xi, he had refined several Star Dao Seeds. One of them stemmed directly from Han Xi, pointing almost to the very foundation of existence—it was the strongest among his current seventy-nine Star Dao Seeds! The others were derivatives. What Han Xi now sought was precisely what he desired.

"The Nine Desolations Death Prison is both the domain where the Lu family's sinners are exiled and a place for raising symbiotic beasts. However, my Lord must be cautious: although innate Anomalies can devour one another, swallowing more is not always better; it must benefit one's own core essence—"

Before the words finished, a faint hum echoed. The entire array spanning hundreds of li emitted a slight azure glow.