"Crack!" The deafening sound shocked White Dragon Spirit Lord; he had never expected Gu Xiechen to dare strike back.

Lightning flashed with incredible speed, striking before the eye could follow. The spiritual whip, nimble as a serpent in the White Dragon Spirit Lord's hand, instantly shattered, vanishing into a wisp of smoke amidst the blinding lightning. The heavy bolt of lightning hammered down, scorching the armor over the Spirit Lord's chest black and sending his tall frame flying backward.

A wave of chaos swept through the Left Commander's Residence. Both Lei Hongzi’s Thunder Hammer and Electric Drill were inherent-grade magic artifacts; even though Gu Xiechen had only preliminarily refined them, their power was considerable. The White Dragon Spirit Lord was unprepared, and the lightning strike caused him minor injury.

Flickering with electrical energy, the White Dragon Spirit Lord spat blood as he smashed through several pavilion screens in the Left Commander’s Residence, landing in a thoroughly disgraced heap on the main street outside the complex. Several passing immortal cultivators were knocked down by him; the residual lightning shockwaves made their seven orifices bleed. Some cultivators with insufficient cultivation were utterly pulverized by the electric light, barely managing to escape with only their nascent souls intact.

Those who had followed the White Dragon Spirit Lord to the Left Commander's Residence to settle scores with 'Wai Chenzi' were all close confidants under his command. Having struck down the White Dragon Spirit Lord with a single thunderbolt, Gu Xiechen decided to finish what he started. He seized the Thunder Hammer and Electric Drill and proceeded to unleash a wild barrage upon the hundreds of accompanying confidants of the White Dragon Spirit Lord.

Peals of thunder roared, electric light danced, and thousands of chaotic lightning strikes erupted, scattering the unprepared confidant immortals instantly. Hundreds of immortals were blasted far away, vomiting blood, their robes shredded by the electrical discharges. Their fair flesh was also scorched black, leaving them lying on the ground smoking like overcooked chicken wings. With a sinister grin, Gu Xiechen roared fiercely, "What kind of thing are you, daring to seek death here at my place!"

The Seven Spirit Profound Yin Sword shot out as seven cold beams. The hundreds of immortals surrounding the White Dragon Spirit Lord, who had just been injured and downed by the lightning, were immediately swept by a vast expanse of cold light targeting those whose cultivation was below that of the Taiyi Golden Immortal. Where the sword light flashed, over a hundred Golden Immortals and Heavenly Immortals had their heads severed without even a grunt, their nascent souls shredded by the chilling energy.

The eight Great Luo Golden Immortals and thirty-six Taiyi Golden Immortals who had accompanied the White Dragon Spirit Lord cried out in alarm, struggling to brace themselves and rise to slay Gu Xiechen, this audacious 'Void Realm cultivator.' However, before they could stand, Gu Xiechen moved both hands, unleashing another wave of lightning from the Thunder Hammer and Electric Drill, blasting these Great Luo Golden Immortals and Taiyi Golden Immortals flying far into the distance.

Disciples from the Artifact Spirit Sect rushed over upon hearing the commotion. Seeing Gu Wuchen engage these immortals, the Emperor's Son of the Artifact Spirit Sect silently manifested thousands upon thousands of flying swords and magic treasures, raining them down like raindrops. Although these Artifact Spirit Sect disciples had lower cultivation, they could only exert two to three-tenths of the power of these immortal artifacts. But the sheer quantity was overwhelming; over a hundred more immortals immediately bled onto the ground.

The White Dragon Spirit Lord swayed as he got back to his feet on the street, looking down in astonishment at the scorched protective immortal armor covering his chest. If he hadn't habitually worn armor, if he hadn't been clad in heavy armor but rather the light ceremonial robes preferred by other immortals for daily life, that single lightning bolt would have gravely wounded him. A Void Realm cultivator from a minor, lower-tier sect dared to injure him using inherent-grade artifacts?

A surge of rage shot straight to the White Dragon Spirit Lord's forehead. Enraged, he threw his head back and let out a dragon's roar. A white mist erupted from his head, and two glittering golden dragon horns suddenly sprouted from his crown. His skin instantly overlaid with scales as white and lustrous as snow. White Dragon Spirit Lord—as his name implied—was a Great Luo Golden Immortal who had cultivated from a white dragon!

Among the disciples under the Grand Pure Heavenly Venerable's Jade Void Palace, only the Yellow Dragon Immortal achieved enlightenment through an unconventional path. The White Dragon Spirit Lord was a successor of the Yellow Dragon Immortal in this cosmos, essentially a direct descendant disciple of a Sage. Coupled with his profound cultivation and the peerless strength of his white dragon body, he was the only general in the Jiazi Star Fortress capable of engaging the guardian of the Celestial Mansion’s Haoyuan Celestial Pass, True Lord Erlang, in close combat. Thus, he usually acted with impunity, earning much jealousy.

Struck by Gu Xiechen’s thunderous blow, the White Dragon Spirit Lord’s fury boiled over. He immediately transformed into his dragon-human form and charged toward the Left Commander’s Residence with a roar. He had barely taken two steps when Gu Xiechen surged out, continually activating lightning and electricity. His expression impassive, he watched the dragon-man form of the White Dragon Spirit Lord. The Thunder Hammer rained down like bullets against the handle of the Electric Drill, sending wave after wave of thunder crackling out, impacting the White Dragon Spirit Lord’s chest with massive force. The rain of lightning made the Spirit Lord's body tremble violently.

Suddenly, Gu Xiechen spat a stream of arrow-like energy onto the Electric Drill and Thunder Hammer. He unleashed the two inherent-grade artifacts simultaneously. The Electric Drill screamed with a piercing electrical whine, lunging directly for the White Dragon Spirit Lord's chest, transforming into a length of electrical light a hundred zhang long yet as thin as a strand of silk, moving with extreme speed. The Thunder Hammer followed, accompanied by a massive roar, morphing into a mass of purple light several zhang wide, soaring high into the sky before descending with the swiftness of Mount Tai crushing down directly onto the White Dragon Spirit Lord’s head.

The White Dragon Spirit Lord, having already endured hundreds of heavy lightning strikes, finally could not withstand the piercing assault of the Electric Drill, collapsing into a burst of golden light rain. The Drill spun rapidly, throwing off countless electrical sparks against the armor at the Spirit Lord's chest, eventually piercing through his scales and flesh. A ball of electricity exploded, tearing a blood-soaked hole the size of a washbasin in the White Dragon Spirit Lord’s chest.

Unable even to fight back from the repeated assault, the White Dragon Spirit Lord cried out in agony. He viciously raised both fists, intending to strike Gu Wuchen dead, just as the lightning transformed from the Thunder Hammer heavily struck the crown of his head. With a flash of lightning, the White Dragon Spirit Lord, enveloped in blinding electrical energy, was blasted hundreds of feet deep into the earth. The Thunder Hammer struck precisely on the crown of his head between his two dragon horns, shattering the scales there. His hair flew wildly as vast quantities of golden blood gushed out, staining his entire body with golden fluid.

Outside the circle of surrounding immortal onlookers, three Taiyi Golden Immortals, their bodies faintly stained with blood, suddenly charged in. Even from a great distance, the three Taiyi Golden Immortals cried out loudly, “My Lord, My Lord, you must not seek trouble with the Artifact Spirit Sect! That Fu Chenzi was personally arranged by Divine Lord Taifu to be at the Jiazi Star Fortress—you cannot seek vengeance against him!”

The White Dragon Spirit Lord’s physical body was extremely robust; even after being struck by two inherent-grade artifacts, he had only suffered superficial injuries. Shaking his slightly dazed head, he heard the shouts of the three immortals. He recognized them as immortal officials from his own residence, trusted confidants guarding and overseeing the residence when he was out on patrol.

The Artifact Spirit Sect was connected to Divine Lord Taifu? They were personally placed in the Jiazi Star Fortress by the Great Divine Lord? How could this be?

The White Dragon Spirit Lord shook his head, attempting to claw his way out of the ground, but where would Gu Xiechen grant him such an opportunity? With a casual gesture, he recalled the Electric Drill and Thunder Hammer, then unleashed another wild bombardment, countless lightning bolts screaming down, battering the White Dragon Spirit Lord with intense pain. The violent currents surged into his body, electrifying him until his muscles convulsed uncontrollably, leaving him with no strength to struggle.

The surrounding immortals watched dumbfounded as the dignified upper-level Great Luo Golden Immortal, the White Dragon Spirit Lord, was completely suppressed and pummeled by a mere 'Void Realm' cultivator relying on two inherent-grade artifacts. None of them knew what to say.

The three Taiyi Golden Immortals who had just rushed into the crowd stared blankly at Gu Wuchen, who was bombarding their superior with lightning. Then, they scanned the scene with their divine senses and realized the one being beaten down was their direct superior. The three Taiyi Golden Immortals instantly erupted in fury. “Insolent! You, you, you are utterly lawless!”

In this heavily militarized celestial sect stronghold of Jiazi Star Fortress, a Void Realm immortal daring to assault the Left Commander—one of the five most powerful and influential leaders in the fortress—was treason, an act against heaven, a crime worthy of extermination across nine generations. The three Taiyi Golden Immortals cursed him and then simultaneously unleashed their magic treasures toward Gu Wuchen.

Faster than thought, just as the treasures launched by the three immortals were about to strike Gu Wuchen, a figure suddenly appeared beside him. The figure casually raised a large umbrella emanating swirling purple energy, blocking the three magic treasures descending from above for Gu Wuchen.

Gu Xiechen glanced sideways at the figure. It was an exquisitely beautiful woman dressed in a white long skirt, possessing natural, regal grace. This woman’s cultivation matched that of the White Dragon Spirit Lord; she was also an upper-level Great Luo Golden Immortal. The three descending treasures were instantly wrapped and twisted away by the purple energy spewing from the umbrella, their whereabouts unknown. The bodies of the three Taiyi Golden Immortals jolted, and they simultaneously spat blood, staggering backward in disgrace. The peerless beauty smiled slightly, casually retracting the umbrella, and softly remarked, "Commander Zuo should really manage his subordinates better. Three Taiyi Golden Immortals ganging up on a junior from the Void Realm—aren't you ashamed?"

Seeing an interloper appear, Gu Xiechen silently tucked the Thunder Hammer and Electric Drill into his sleeves, stepping back a few paces with a chuckle.

A roar mixed with shame and fury emanated from beneath the ground. The scorched White Dragon Spirit Lord burst from the earth, his blood-red eyes fixed murderously on Gu Wuchen. His teeth ground together with a loud ga-bang, looking as if he wished to devour Gu Xiechen whole. Now, it wasn't just about the relationship with the Taibai Immortal Sect; the White Dragon Spirit Lord himself intended to annihilate the Artifact Spirit Sect.

“Good, good, good! You have guts!” The White Dragon Spirit Lord stared intensely at Gu Wuchen, then suddenly laughed venomously: “But the Jiazi Star Fortress has its rules. The military equipment forged by your Artifact Spirit Sect is exceptionally fine and should be used on the front lines. I hereby conscript thirty thousand disciples from your Artifact Spirit Sect to serve at Jiazi Star Fortress Number One. I will coordinate this matter with Old Daoist Huo!” Gu Xiechen merely smiled, hands tucked in his sleeves, saying nothing.

The peerless beauty sighed softly. She chuckled lightly toward the White Dragon Spirit Lord, who was still confused about the situation: "Commander Zuo, I fear you lack the authority to mobilize this Outer Sect Master and his followers. Did you not hear what your subordinates just shouted?"

The White Dragon Spirit Lord froze. He suddenly recalled the words shouted by his three subordinate immortal officials. His eyes widened, and he beckoned the three officials who had spat blood and retreated. The three officials glared fiercely at the beautiful woman, then hastily crowded around the White Dragon Spirit Lord, whispering a complete account of everything that had transpired since Gu Wuchen arrived at the Jiazi Star Fortress.

After hearing his subordinates’ report, the White Dragon Spirit Lord suddenly quieted. He faintly asked in a low voice, "Why was this not reported sooner?"

The three Taiyi Golden Immortals glared angrily at the peerless beauty, replying in low, resentful tones, "Your subordinates were on their way to find Your Lord when we were intercepted by the Right Commander’s personal handmaidens halfway there. If not for our desperate fighting, we would still be held three thousand li away!"

The White Dragon Spirit Lord gritted his teeth tightly, glaring at the peerless beauty, "Huang Ling'er, you, good, good, good!"

Right Commander Huang Ling'er of the Jiazi Star Fortress smiled slightly, offering a shallow bow to the White Dragon Spirit Lord, and said gently, "I am very well, very well, quite well indeed!"

Her gaze shifting, Huang Ling'er softly continued, "We women are simply too soft-hearted. We truly couldn't bear to harm your three loyal subordinates, so we let them pass to deliver the message. Commander Zuo still has several other groups of subordinates out there; who knows where they are suffering right now." The White Dragon Spirit Lord was momentarily stunned, and his divine sense suddenly spread out in all directions.

Gu Xiechen smiled slightly, his divine sense following closely behind. Over ten thousand li away in the void, at least three thousand immortals were besieging over two hundred immortal officials divided into thirteen groups. These three thousand attackers all had light gauze wrapped around their faces, maintaining a facade of 'nothing to hide here.' Judging by their attire, all two hundred besieged officials were subordinates of the White Dragon Spirit Lord. The White Dragon Spirit Lord’s face instantly darkened.

Huang Ling'er smiled lightly and let out a deep sigh: "Commander Zuo must be extremely cautious in his future conduct. I only sent a few handmaidens to intercept your three subordinates; those other fellows with gauze-wrapped faces have nothing to do with me. This Master Fu is someone favored by a Divine Lord. If Commander Zuo has enough guts, it wouldn't be out of line to strike and kill him now." Gu Xiechen smiled calmly, and the Thunder Hammer and Electric Drill reappeared in his hands.

The Artifact Spirit Sect disciples surged out of the Left Commander’s Residence like a tide, standing behind Gu Xiechen. Countless thunder weapons and powerful crossbows were simultaneously aimed at the White Dragon Spirit Lord. The concentrated killing intent and murderous aura of thirty thousand disciples converged into an extremely potent force, causing even the White Dragon Spirit Lord to frown involuntarily.

After contemplating for a moment, the White Dragon Spirit Lord suddenly burst into loud laughter. He cupped his hands toward Gu Wuchen, "Wai Chenzi, what happened today was a misunderstanding. If my men died, they died. These ignorant things, if they die, so be it!"

His heart aching, the White Dragon Spirit Lord fixed Gu Xiechen with a hard stare, then sneered, sizing up Huang Ling'er from head to toe, lingering particularly over her high chest before giving a command. He led all his remaining subordinates away in haste. He left so quickly that he didn't even take the corpses of the subordinates killed by Gu Xiechen and the Artifact Spirit Sect disciples. Gu Xiechen shook his head; the White Dragon Spirit Lord could not be left alive.

Huang Ling'er curiously examined Gu Wuchen up and down, then suddenly laughed: "If you can give me a piece of Seven-Colored Immortal Spirit Stone, there will be benefits for you in the future... Be careful, this white-skinned snake has the pettiest heart, is greedy for wealth and lustful, and is brutal and fond of killing. If you offend him, you'll have endless trouble later."

Putting away the large umbrella emanating purple energy floating above her head, Huang Ling'er snorted, "One Seven-Colored Immortal Spirit Stone, and I will fully protect you. That old fellow Divine Lord Taifu is the best at playing both sides; although he intends to protect you, he absolutely will not risk offending the elder generation of the White-Skinned Snake's sect." After carefully examining Gu Wuchen for a while, Huang Ling'er smiled faintly and vanished instantly. Gu Xiechen contemplated for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Draft an official document to Divine Lord Taifu to lodge a complaint, demanding the replacement of the military leadership attached to the Left Commander's Residence of the Armament Camp. Those fellows were respectful to me in front of the immortal officials sent by Divine Lord Taifu, but when trouble arose, not a single one appeared. If they're useless, we'll replace them with our own disciples." Several Artifact Spirit Sect disciples exchanged glances and unanimously agreed.

With thirty thousand followers, all skilled in the way of forging, the messy Left Commander's Residence left by the White Dragon Spirit Lord was tidied up in less than half an hour. The broken pavilion screens and floor tiles were completely recast and restored.

Divine Lord Taifu also issued an official document. The high and middle-ranking officers among the thirty million immortal soldiers under Gu Xiechen's command in the Left Commander's Residence were all replaced; the successors were the disciples of the Artifact Spirit Sect recommended by Gu Xiechen. After these officers were replaced, Gu Xiechen’s thirty million immortal soldiers were left without any experts above the Golden Immortal level. Therefore, Divine Lord Taifu generously reinforced Gu Wuchen’s forces with a million more immortal soldiers.

If quality is lacking, supplement with quantity. Gu Xiechen accepted this goodwill gesture from Divine Lord Taifu.

The minor disturbance brought by the White Dragon Spirit Lord quickly passed. For three consecutive days, the Jiazi Star Fortress remained calm with no incidents. Gu Xiechen immersed himself in managing the affairs of the Left Commander's Residence, gradually installing members of the Artifact Spirit Sect into every vital position within the Armament Camp, thus gaining comprehensive control over all his subordinates.

Especially in the most crucial positions—A-Warehouse management and forging supervision—the positions were entirely replaced by members of the Artifact Spirit Sect, from top to bottom. Time flowed onward, and Gu Xiechen gradually settled into his role. Seven days after Gu Wuchen led the Artifact Spirit Sect members to the Jiazi Star Fortress, a change occurred.

A faint figure approached the Jiazi Star Fortress rapidly from the void. Along the way, neither the small Wandering Cloud Star Shuttles and their immortal soldiers and generals dispatched by the Jiazi Star Fortress for patrols, nor the powerful immortals wandering about freely, nor the cultivators toiling day and night mining ores or gathering various spirit herbs on the frontline mining posts, detected the approach of this figure.

Not a single one of the tens of thousands of exotic beasts maintained outside the fortress, including those with the sharpest eyesight, strongest sense of smell, and most powerful divine senses, detected that this figure had already infiltrated the Jiazi Star Fortress without a sound.

After entering the outer defensive perimeter of the Jiazi Star Fortress, the person suddenly transformed into an invisible, colorless gentle breeze, like the natural wind within the stellar regions. It lightly slipped through the hundreds of layers of formations and restrictions above the Jiazi Star Fortress, arriving on the ground as if entering an unpatrolled area.

Once on the ground, the person’s form solidified into an immortal official of the Jiazi Star Fortress, wearing a golden crown and robes of sunset clouds. He ambled cheerfully toward the Left Commander's Residence governed by Gu Xiechen. Many patrolling immortal soldiers saw the person approaching, but dressed as a mid-level official, no one stopped him to question him in detail.

Thus, the person proceeded directly to the entrance of Gu Xiechen's Left Commander's Residence. After exchanging a few low words with the gatekeepers, he produced a golden token for inspection. The person then walked directly into the depths of the Left Commander's Residence with a faint smile.

Gu Xiechen was not in the main hall handling official duties at that moment; the Artifact Spirit Sect members had completely taken over all the work of the Armament Camp, leaving nothing for Gu Xiechen to worry about. He was currently gathered with over a hundred of the Artifact Spirit Sect's most skilled forging disciples, passionately discussing the profound secrets of casting.

It was less a discussion and more Gu Wuchen conveying his comprehension of formations, restrictions, and various forging paths to these disciples in the most esoteric manner. Like a spring breeze nurturing new growth, subtle insights into the exquisite way of forging silently permeated the divine awareness of these Artifact Spirit Sect disciples, causing their forging techniques to advance by leaps and bounds day by day without them even realizing it.

Just as he was speaking animatedly and reaching a critical point, the divine sense Gu Xiechen had spread around suddenly detected the smiling immortal official walking directly toward him. Gu Xiechen paused slightly, then suddenly laughed. Citing an urgent matter, he dispersed all the hundred-plus disciples.

The hundred-plus eager Artifact Spirit Sect disciples departed, arguing and discussing excitedly, gesturing animatedly as they left the pavilion where Gu Xiechen resided. Following Gu Xiechen’s instructions, they even led away the few female attendants standing guard at the entrance. In an instant, the large garden outside Gu Wuchen’s residence fell silent and empty.

The approaching immortal official paused, then shook his head dismissively, striding into the grand hall where Gu Xiechen had just been lecturing. He sat down boldly on a cushion opposite Gu Xiechen and eyed him openly.

Gu Xiechen grabbed Little Qing, who was curled up beside him snoring, and roughly tossed him onto the ground a few times. Little Qing’s snoring stopped abruptly. He shook his head, woke up groggily, and looked the immortal official up and down. "Hmm, Golden Immortal, clean, good to eat!" Pale green saliva dripped from Little Qing's mouth onto the floor.

Gently patting Little Qing’s head, Gu Xiechen looked at the immortal official and smiled: "This person is definitely not edible! Isn't that right, True Lord Erlang Yang Jian? You seem to be injured; otherwise, your cultivation wouldn't be at this level. Oh dear, your nascent soul is also wounded—who did that?"

The Immortal Official sitting across from Gu Wuchen was startled, staring at Gu Xechen as if he had seen a ghost. He remained rigid and stunned for a long moment before asking in shock, "You, you can see through my transformation art? Are you truly a cultivator of the Void Realm?"

Gu Xechen smiled, a smile like a great wolf spotting a lamb. With a casual wave of his sleeve, the doors and windows of the great hall slammed shut with a series of loud bangs, every single one closing tightly. A flash of golden light swept over the seams of the doors and windows, rendering them perfectly sealed, leaving not even the slightest crack.

Yang Jian, disguised as the Immortal Official, looked down to see the ground transform into a sheet of crystal-clear, luminous jade. He punched down hard onto the crystal surface, sending sparks flying, but his fist was immediately repelled high into the air. The crystal surface remained utterly unmarked, not even emitting a sound.

Snapping his head up, a golden light flashed across the ceiling as well, which likewise morphed into a gleaming crystal slab suffused with purple auspicious light.

Yang Jian snorted coldly, his body suddenly transforming into a streak of golden light as he flew up, slamming a fierce punch into the ceiling. A vast expanse of sparks exploded across the ceiling, covering dozens of zhang in every direction. Yang Jian's body shuddered, violently flung back down, and he crashed onto the floor without making a sound either.

He glanced around in panic, then roared in fury, unleashing countless bolts of lightning from both hands, blasting them in every direction.

But the countless bolts of lightning struck the doors, windows, and walls of the great hall, resulting only in flashes of firelight, yet utterly silent. Despite Yang Jian expending all his divine powers and magic, the walls, doors, and windows remained completely unscathed. Yang Jian stood frozen where he was, utterly unable to move. He stared at Gu Xechen in alarm, and after a long silence, asked word by painstaking word, "Which esteemed master graces me with your presence? I beg forgiveness for Yang Jian's disrespect... Is it Grand Master Taishang, or... is it the Ancestor Master himself who has come here?"

Gu Xechen smiled, shaking his head, and stated casually yet grandly, "I am not Taishang Laojun, nor am I Yuanshi Tianzun, much less Tongtian Jiaozhu. I am certainly not those two thieving bald monks, Jieyin and Zhunti, nor could I possibly be Empress Nuwa. Who do you suppose I am?"

Yang Jian pondered deeply for a moment, scrutinizing Gu Wuchen from head to toe. He frowned, "You cannot be any of my maternal uncles, nor the Queen Mother of the West. The inherent majesty and solemnity of the Buddha Tathagata would prevent him from engaging in such deceptive disguise; the Bodhisattva Guanyin would not play such tricks on Yang Jian; might I inquire, is the Bodhisattva Mahasthamaprapta before me?"

Gu Xechen looked at Yang Jian with feigned astonishment, "Haotian Shangdi, the Queen Mother of the West, Tathagata, Guanyin, Mahasthamaprapta—have they all achieved sainthood?"

Yang Jian shuddered violently, staring at Gu Qiu Chen with abject horror, and roared fiercely, "You are not them! Who in the cosmos are you?"

Reaching out to grasp the little green one, Gu Xechen slowly rubbed its smooth, large head as he mused, his eyelids half-lowered. After the time it takes to steep a cup of tea, Gu Xechen finally nodded and smiled, "Never mind. I was just worrying about knowing absolutely nothing of this place, and yet Yang Jian delivers himself to my doorstep. Although, I am quite familiar with you, making it truly difficult to strike; however... hmph, they’ve all become saints, haven't they!"

With a wave of his hand, a streak of purple light flashed beside him. Yang Jian, clad in golden armor, holding his three-pointed, double-edged spear, and accompanied by his slender hound, strode forth from the purple light.

The Yang Jian who had been disguised as the Immortal Official stared across at his counterpart with utter shock, his body trembling violently. Identical features, identical aura, even their cultivation levels were barely distinguishable. Furthermore, both practiced the orthodox Nine Revolutions Profound Art and the Seventy-Two Transformations. This was him!

The Yang Jian emerging from the purple light stared unblinkingly at the Immortal Official before him. After a full quarter of an hour, he finally cupped his hands in a salute, "Meeting under such circumstances is indeed marvelous. You are me, and I am you; yet you are not me, and I am not you!"

The Immortal Official’s body shook, and the illusory human form gradually dissipated, revealing his true body. He too wore golden armor and held the three-pointed, double-edged spear, differing from the Yang Jian beside Gu Xechen only by the absence of the slender hound.

Gu Xechen could clearly discern the differences between the two Yang Jians, but the poor slender hound was utterly confused. It glanced left, then right; both masters looked identical, their auras the same, their spiritual fluctuations mirroring each other. The hound's eyes spun a few times, and with a soft thud, it sat down heavily on the ground.

The original Yang Jian took a deep breath and looked coldly at Gu Xechen, "Haotian Shangdi left a hidden chess piece in that universe as a final retreat plan. He left the Haotian Pagoda, the Haotian Mirror, and the Primordial Chaos Body Divine Art over there, intending to take a successor from a later generation! Coincidentally disrupting some of the Three Pure Ones' calculations—that person must be you, right?"

Gu Xechen gazed at Yang Jian and said blandly, "It is me, and it is not me. All their scheming and plotting has been utterly ruined by me. I originally had no intention of coming here, but I was forced into a corner!"

Yang Jian pondered for a while, then looked at the Yang Jian standing beside Gu Xechen, suddenly letting out a bitter laugh, "A sliver of my divine consciousness, once left in the Zixiao Immortal Registry Treasure Scroll, actually managed to manifest a being exactly like my original body. The calculations made by Haotian Shangdi and the Buddha Tathagata back then... hehehe."

A thought flickered through Gu Xechen's mind, and he suddenly laughed, recalling those precious pearls he had left beside the Haotian Pagoda in those years!

Haotian Shangdi and the Buddha Tathagata conspiring? What else could those pearls be but the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls? The Sea-Calming Divine Pearls capable of opening up a world, capable of nurturing a domain, containing infinite vital mysteries! The very Sea-Calming Divine Pearls upon which the Ancient Buddha Randeng achieved his Dao!

The fact that the Christo Crystal People possessed such marvelous abilities, capable of conjuring humans from the void, was fundamentally because they were formed from fragments of the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls.

When the Haotian Pagoda and the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls merged into one, Gu Xechen, having inherited the Haotian Pagoda, gained the wondrous power to allow the deities of the Thirty-Three Heavens to recast their physical forms and recreate their nascent souls. Because the Haotian Pagoda and the Sea-Calming Divine Pearls merged, Gu Wuchen could conjure a new Thirty-Three Heavens out of thin air. Truly intricate, Gu Xechen couldn't help but shake his head.

Looking at the Yang Jian before him, Gu Wuchen said solemnly, "You are a disciple of the True Man Yuding; why are you not serving the Immortal Sect?"

Yang Jian looked at Gu Wuchen, shaking his head with a wry smile, "It's over, it's over. Today I've walked straight into a trap; I came to the wrong place. Telling you might not matter, after all, Haotian Shangdi is my maternal uncle, and my mother personally ordered me to assist him—what choice did I have? All I could manage was not to harm my fellow sect members. Only to not harm my fellow sect members." Gu Xechen secretly nodded.

Staring at the pained expression on Yang Jian’s face, Gu Xechen asked again, "What business brings you here?"

Yang Jian shook his head and said solemnly, "The Divine Monarch Taiyi has captured Lei Hongzi. He is the Vice General of Hao Wutian Pass, and it makes me look bad. The Divine Monarch Taiyi is enraged this time and insists on not releasing Lei Hongzi, so I could only choose to assassinate a few of his subordinates to force the Divine Monarch Taiyi to release the captive."

Yang Jian sneered, "The Divine Monarch Taifu knows my temperament well. If I were to personally kill someone, he would certainly release Lei Hongzi. The Immortals of some standing within the Jiazi Star Fortress are all disciples of the Saints. I cannot violate the oath I swore back then to lay hands on them, so I could only... target someone like you."

Gu Xechen nodded helplessly. Yang Jian had few targets available; after careful selection, the only option left was to kill himself to show the Divine Monarch Taifu.

The founding ancestor of the Lingqi Sect was merely an outer disciple of Yun Zhongzi, not considered a true successor of the Saints. After generations of transmission, any direct connection to the Saints had long since vanished. If Yang Jian killed him, it wouldn't count as killing a Saint's disciple.

Especially since he had just presented two Immortal Spirit Stones to the Divine Monarch Taifu, killing him would be a massive public humiliation for the Divine Monarch Taifu.

According to what Huang Ling'er described—that the Divine Monarch Taifu was best at smoothing things over—if Yang Jian chose a few targets like Gu Xechen and killed them, the smoothing-over Divine Monarch Taifu would have to overlook the matter of Lei Hongzi using the Nine Heavens Raging Thunder to ambush him. He might even release Lei Hongzi again to smooth things over once more. With a faint sigh, Gu Xechen looked coldly at Yang Jian and asked, "Do you have any final wishes, Yang Jian?" Yang Jian trembled violently, looking at Gu Xechen in astonishment. Gu Xechen snorted coldly, "You intend to kill me, so don't blame me!" He pointed his fingers at the two Yang Jians, sneering, "Merge!" The forms of both men suddenly trembled, and their bodies rapidly transformed into vast swathes of purple energy, rushing to merge together. A sharp cry of pain echoed from within the purple energy. Under Gu Wuchen's forceful control, the nascent soul of Yang Jian he summoned forcibly devoured the original Yang Jian's nascent soul. Their cultivation, physical bodies, and nascent souls all fused into one, and their strength instantly surged by a large margin. The original Yang Jian seemed to have suffered extreme trauma to his nascent soul, his cultivation realm barely maintaining the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal state, on the verge of falling from that realm at any moment. However, after Gu Xechen forcibly merged the two using his great divine power, Yang Jian's injuries were not only healed, but his Dao attainment realm broke through the peak of the Grand Unity Golden Immortal realm, stepping into the ineffable Primordial Chaos Realm.

The purple energy receded, and the newborn Yang Jian revealed his form. His eyes slowly opened, faintly emitting wisps of chaotic spiritual light. Gu Xechen nodded at Yang Jian with satisfaction, saying calmly, "You are Yang Jian, but you are not that Yang Jian!"

Yang Jian deeply cupped his fist toward Gu Wuchen, "Your Excellency speaks the absolute truth. This subordinate is Yang Jian, yet not that Yang Jian. All his shackles are useless to me! I am Yang Jian, but I am not the Yang Jian burdened by so many restraints!"

Gu Xechen nodded contentedly. He casually reached into the void and seized a water-vat-sized meteorite at least tens of trillions of li away from the Jiazi Star Fortress, which appeared out of thin air beside him. He casually shattered the meteorite with one punch, revealing a washbasin-sized piece of emerald-green spirit stone within. In the clear, wave-like spirit stone, a spiritual herb nearly a chi tall, bearing nine delicate emerald leaves shaped like an orchid, was gently twisting.

—I don't know what the cultivators here call it, but it is a top-tier spiritual medicine, best suited for nourishing the nascent soul and healing all forms of soul damage. Take this spiritual herb back to Hao Wutian Pass and continue your duties as the Guardian of the Pass. With this, no one will question why your injuries have healed and your merit has advanced so greatly!" Yang Jian took the spiritual herb and casually pointed, causing a single leaf to drift out of the spirit stone, which he swallowed in one gulp.

Nodding vigorously, Yang Jian was about to stride out of the hall when Gu Xechen suddenly spoke, "Hmm, leave behind a message, stating that 'The killer is Yang Jian'... From now on, every three to five days, you shall lead troops to attack the Jiazi Star Fortress, and the more devastating the battle, the better!" Yang Jian nodded, and said grimly, "How about casualties?"

Gu Xechen pondered for a moment, then suddenly sneered, "Casualties? The more casualties the better. Since they aren't my people, I don't feel the pain!"

Yang Jian acknowledged the instruction. Gu Wuchen took out a set of the four treasures of calligraphy from his ring. Yang Jian swiftly took the brush and wrote hundreds of copies of the large characters: "The Killer is Yang Jian." Afterwards, Gu Xechen tapped Yang Jian's brow, and after a moment, signaled for him to leave.

Yang Jian, taking the slender hound, transformed into a gust of clean wind and fled. Gu Xechen coldly sneered, twisted his form, and transformed into the likeness of Yang Jian. The single tap he delivered to Yang Jian's brow had not only extracted all the memories of the original Yang Jian, but also integrated a portion of Yang Jian's aura, including his spiritual fluctuations, into his own body.

Spreading Yang Jian's aura over his own body and overlaying his own spiritual fluctuations with Yang Jian's, Gu Wuchen soared out of the Left Commander's Mansion as a clear breeze. In an instant, he arrived at the residence of the Left Commandant of the Jiazi Number One Star Fortress.

Gazing at the Left Commandant’s residence, which spanned hundreds of thousands of acres and possessed a magnificent grandeur, Gu Wuchen couldn't help but give a cold smile.

With a wave of his hand, a powerful restrictive barrier sealed the entire Left Commandant’s Mansion. Gu Xechen seized the three-pointed, double-edged spear and stormed in through the main gate.

A thousand elite Immortal Soldiers and Generals were stationed at the gate, but with a casual swing of Gu Xechen's spear, the thousand soldiers and generals were instantly reduced to dust. Gu Xechen’s muscles bulged, the immense power of the Pangu True Body flowing through him; a single strike could turn even a star into nothingness. How could these Immortal Soldiers and Generals under the command of the White Dragon Spirit Lord withstand him?

"White-skinned Oyster, Yang Jian has come to kill!" Mimicking Yang Jian's tone, Gu Xechen roared the derogatory nickname 'White-skinned Snake'—a vulgar nickname only those very familiar with the White Dragon Spirit Lord would know—and strode into the Left Commandant’s Mansion.

Immortal soldiers and generals, numerous as lake water, rushed out from the various palaces and pavilions of the Left Commandant's Mansion, all charging toward Gu Xechen.

But with every rise and fall of Gu Xechen’s three-pointed, double-edged spear, no matter how many Immortal Soldiers and Generals appeared before him, they were blown to pieces by a terrifying force. One came, one was annihilated; ten came, ten were annihilated; a thousand came, a thousand were annihilated...

Gu Xechen, wielding his single blade, fought like a rampaging angry dragon, carving a path from the main gate of the Left Commandant’s Mansion all the way inward. Everywhere he passed, any Immortal Soldier or General who dared to engage was instantly reduced to dust.

Yawning with boredom, Gu Xechen fought his way through the White Dragon Spirit Lord’s Left Commandant’s Mansion and strode into the rear courtyard where the White Dragon Spirit Lord resided.

Executing a casual flourish with his spear, Gu Xechen coldly faced the White Dragon Spirit Lord, who was backed by several hundred trusted subordinates blocking his path. "Oh, White-skinned Snake, you didn't try to run anywhere? No need to flee; your death is certain today!" With a wave of his hand, the spear light shot out like countless meteors, unleashing thousands upon tens of thousands of cold streaks of light that blasted outward.

Before the White Dragon Spirit Lord could clearly see Gu Qiu Chen’s movements, he felt a chill strike his face; countless spear lights flashed past his body.

With the sound of splintering flesh and bone—ping-bang—the hundreds of trusted subordinates of the White Dragon Spirit Lord all took a strike directly to their brow. The spear light pierced straight through to the back of their skulls, not only destroying their physical bodies but shattering their nascent souls to bits as well.

The hundred corpses tumbled heavily to the ground. Gu Xechen stared coldly at the dumbfounded White Dragon Spirit Lord and asked ruthlessly, "Will you kill yourself, or shall I send you on your way?"

The White Dragon Spirit Lord stared fixedly at Gu Xechen and suddenly roared in anger, "Yang Jian! Have you forgotten your oath?"

Gu Xechen rolled his eyes toward the sky, shaking his head with complete indifference, "I haven't forgotten, but I suddenly have a strong urge to kill, so I came here to kill you!"

As the White Dragon Spirit Lord stiffened, preparing to retaliate, Gu Xechen suddenly lunged forward, and the three-pointed, double-edged spear heavily pierced his brow.

Killing like slaughtering a chicken—there was no difficulty whatsoever. How hard could it be for a mere Grand Unity Golden Immortal to kill a Sage-level entity?

With a lift and a fall of the blade, the three-pointed, double-edged spear tore several hundred wounds of varying depths into the White Dragon Spirit Lord’s body, creating the illusion that he had died after a fierce struggle. Gu Xechen then removed the restrictive barrier outside the Left Commandant’s Mansion, mounted a cloud, and flew away from the sky above the Jiazi Number One Star Fortress with incomparably bright radiance. He pressed his hands downward, unleashing countless Yuqing Divine Thunders that blasted the surface of the Jiazi Number One Star Fortress into scorched earth; it was impossible to know how many garrisoned Immortal Soldiers and Generals perished in the lightning.

The cloud light flashed, and Gu Xechen vanished without a trace. Only a golden scroll, thirty-six chi long and three chi wide, slowly descended from the high sky. On it, a line of blood-red characters was intensely conspicuous: "The Killer is Yang Jian!"

Soon after, news that the True Lord Erlang Yang Jian had suddenly attacked the Jiazi Star Fortress and exterminated the entire household of the Left Commandant Bai Long Lingjun spread throughout the First Line Star Abyss. The First Line Star Abyss immediately descended into chaos! Immortals from both the Heavenly Court and the Immortal Sect rushed toward Hao Wutian Pass and the Jiazi Star Fortress.