First, Gu Xichen and Mo Zun Long Gen overtly unleashed their Saintly might here. The immortals secretly controlled by Gu Xichen were overjoyed, flocking to join him from various Star Forts. The eighteen Star Forts of Jiazi, Yichou, and others, along with their affiliated medium and small Star Forts, all fell into his hands.

Following that, Ducart and Xiao Xiao arrived, spanning the void with hundreds of Three-Lian Cities. Gu Xichen summoned countless Dharma Protectors and Celestial Soldiers and Generals, entering the Three-Lian Cities with full authority. For a time, Gu Xie’s forces held absolute superiority within the First Line Star Abyss. The immortals of the Immortal Sect and Heavenly Mansion veins were suppressed, struggling to breathe, and urgently sent calls for aid to their respective high commands.

Especially Yang Jian, as the Grand Marshal of the Heavenly Mansion forces in the First Line Star Abyss, he issued seventy-two urgent pleas for help in a single day, hastily summoning countless Heavenly Soldiers and Generals to reinforce the area. The result was that under the combined efforts of Gu Xichen and his ally, those reinforcing troops—those with the deepest cultivation and oldest seniority, soldiers and generals who had submitted to the Heavenly Court since the time of the Haotian God in the original universe—were all replaced by personnel brought forth by Gu Xichen.

Unbeknownst to them, the vast majority of the Heavenly Mansion’s stationed strength in the First Line Star Abyss had already fallen into Gu Xichen’s control.

Immediately after, Ranhua arrived with a large contingent of native immortals violently subjugated by him, including countless beings belonging to the Innate ranks. The cultivation of the vast majority of these natives lay above Celestial Immortal level and below the peak of Grand Unity Golden Immortal, with only a few native immortals at the Great Overarching Golden Immortal level being of lesser cultivation, but their numbers were immense. They densely packed the sky, covering nearly half of it, and they too garrisoned the Three-Lian Cities.

Within a few days, Siren and Maha arrived with cultivators from tens of thousands of star domains centered around the Fuxuan Star Field. The number of these reinforcing immortals was small, barely amounting to less than one percent of the Immortal Sect’s entire strength in this universe, yet their psychological impact on the countless immortals of the Immortal Sect was enormous. So many cultivation sects had defected to Gu Xichen, abandoning the Immortal Sect, that even Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun were moved.

Just as Gu Xichen had finally settled these personnel, another fluctuation echoed through the void.

Following the spatial coordinates left by Gu Xichen, the Corpse Emperor and Aredia arrived across the void with countless Nine Nether Dao Immortals.

Two more Saintly auras shot toward the heavens. Gu Xichen burst into laughter, once again releasing his full presence.

Fu Ya Ming chuckled softly, immediately following Gu Xichen in releasing her aura. Then came Ranhua, Siren, and Maha, followed by the aura of Mo Zun Long Gen. Combined with the newly arrived auras of the Corpse Emperor and Aredia, the immense pressure of eight Saints merged into one, churning and surging outward in all directions, nearly traversing this vast and boundless universe.

At that moment, Taishang was rendered speechless, Yuanshi lost his voice, Jieyin’s color changed, Zhunti’s expression turned wretched, Haotian was struck dumb, and the Queen Mother angrily smashed her most cherished crystal fruit platter. Tongtian Jiaozhu, Amitabha, and the fellow Saint Bodhisattva Guanyin all experienced rapid shifts in expression.

These veteran sacred beings, if they allied, also numbered nine Saints. However, they were hopelessly entangled; various disputes over interests made any unified alliance impossible. While Gu Xichen only commanded eight Saints, all of whom had achieved their status in recent Eons, a Saint was still a Saint. Furthermore, they acted with perfect unity; the eight auras fused seamlessly, without the slightest discord between them.

One side was like scattered sand, the other was united in purpose.

As the auras of Gu Xichen’s eight surged forth, the heavens and earth instantly changed hue, and everyone capable of sensing that immense pressure was profoundly shaken.

After using the aura to intimidate the local immortals, Gu Xichen wasted no time or words. He immediately summoned all his companions and disciples, selecting those with sufficient cultivation—at least Upper-Rank Great Overarching Golden Immortal—and imparted to them Haotian’s insights on achieving the Dao, along with the Heavenly Dao Laws Gu Xichen had compiled within the Yuanlong Pearl.

Over the following days, Gu Xichen employed the technique of divine sense communication, sparing no expenditure of his own vital essence, to imprint his comprehension and understanding of the Heavenly Dao onto the Yuan Shen (Primordial Spirits) of everyone present. In an instant, the Daoist attainments of Fu Ya Ming, the Corpse Emperor, and others surged, quickly closing the gap with Gu Xichen. The numerous disciples at the Great Overarching Golden Immortal level saw their cultivation advance by leaps and bounds, reaping countless benefits.

After a month like this, a joint Primordial Spirit fluctuation from Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun suddenly permeated the void.

The Primordial Spirits of the two Saints radiated a faint pressure, descending high and mighty upon the Jiazi Star Fort where Gu Xichen was situated.

Gu Xichen frowned. His Three Corpses Primordial Spirits soared into the sky, accompanied by the Origin Yang and Origin Yin Profound Pearls, along with the Chaos Bell and the Heavenly Dao Seal—two supreme treasures—all roaring as they met the ascension of the Three Corpses Primordial Spirits. His stance was hard and unapologetic, setting himself up for a direct confrontation with Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun.

The divine minds of the two veteran Saints flickered slightly, and the faint pressure instantly vanished, making contact with Gu Xichen’s Three Corpses Primordial Spirits with utmost gentleness.

“Fellow Daoist, greetings!”

Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun released their goodwill.

“I am not well,” Gu Xichen retorted without politeness. Originally, he never should have come to this damned place, nor should he have had to contend with these sacred beings here. He could have been enjoying eternal tranquility with Fu Ya Ming in their original universe. But it was precisely because of these Saints’ chaotic scheming, backstabbing, and trap-setting that he was forced to suffer here without cause.

Sensing the monumental resentment in Gu Xichen’s tone, Taishang Laojun spoke kindly, “If the Daoist chooses to stand on the sidelines, what conditions would you require?”

Gu Xichen’s Chaos Primordial Spirit responded coldly, “If you two emerge victorious, can you grant me clemency? Allow me to withdraw from this Heavenly Dao and return to my original universe? You and I shall remain separate; I will not provoke you, and you will not provoke me!”

Yuanshi Tianzun’s stern and killing voice rang out: “Impossible! The Heavenly Dao of this world is incomplete; the Saints have already become one with the Heavenly Dao. How could you withdraw?”

After a few cold laughs, Gu Xichen ended the dialogue with the two Saints without hesitation: “Then there is nothing more to discuss. I also have designs on that Heavenly Pagoda; and this First Line Star Abyss, whatever its secrets, I have decided to fight for. Rather than letting you control the Heavenly Dao Tower and hold dominion over my life and death at will, I would rather exert every effort to strive for control over you!”

A wave of malevolence rose from Gu Xichen’s heart. The Primordial Heavenly Demon roared madly in his Sea of Consciousness: “Precisely spoken! Why be polite to them? Slaughter them, monopolize the Heavenly Dao! Those who follow me shall prosper, those who defy me shall perish. The Great Dao of Heaven dictates survival of the fittest; why waste breath?”

Black flames emanated from the Primordial Heavenly Demon’s body, within which the faint shadows of countless ancient Demon Gods could be discerned. It was fine before, as the Primordial Heavenly Demon had never displayed such phenomena. But now, upon encountering Taishang Laojun and Yuanshi Tianzun, the boundless resentment he held for Hongjun’s disciples suddenly surged forth, transforming into monstrous demonic flames, threatening to erupt from his body and strike down this wisp of the two figures’ separated consciousness.