"Mochita is indeed an exceptionally formidable fiend, and I imagine few warriors at the First Heaven of the Boundless Sea Divine Realm could possibly contend with him," Shi Yan stated, his expression wary, constantly observing Tang Yuannan's facial changes. He continued calmly, "However, I possess certain capabilities that ensure I can survive under Mochita.

Any expert in the Divine Realm seeking to kill me, hehe, will have to pay a devastating price." He worried that concealing his strength further would only breed malice in Tang Yuannan, so he decided to lay the facts bare with straightforward honesty. Hearing this, Tang Yuannan's eyes suddenly lit up, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief.

Much like Gu Xiao and Wu Qin, Tang Yuannan paused, momentarily unable to process the information. After a long silence, he asked in a strange voice, "You mean...

you gravely wounded Mochita? Without anyone else helping you?

I haven't misunderstood, have I?" Shi Yan nodded, revealing a cryptic, mysterious, and strangely confident smile. Tang Yuannan's expression grew even more bizarre.

Unable to gauge Shi Yan's true situation, uncertain whether his words held any truth, he stood frozen, silently speculating on Shi Yan's claims. Shi Yan's face remained unchanged, but his guard intensified, ready to react at any moment.

He was not familiar with Tang Yuannan and had no idea what motives the man held towards him. When Yi Tianmo and the other two were present, being near Tang Yuannan hadn't caused him much pressure.

Now that he was alone, if Tang Yuannan harbored ill intentions—perhaps aiming to seize the secret treasures he possessed—Shi Yan was uncertain if he could defend himself. When one lacks certainty, adopting an air of complete confidence could sometimes prove unexpectedly effective.

"Very well, I won't pry further into the details of your battle with Mochita," much to his surprise, Tang Yuannan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled with ease. "You possess the Star God's Martial Soul; regardless, you belong to the Three Gods Cult.

We are all family here. I hope you won't be so tense." Saying this, Tang Yuannan suddenly let out a loud, piercing cry.

His howl lingered endlessly within the underwater palace, spreading outwards in resonant waves, seemingly serving as a notification or a summons to someone. Shi Yan's expression shifted; rather than relaxing, he became even more cautious and abruptly stood up.

Tang Yuannan ignored him, continuing his sustained cry. Under the influence of his howl, certain restrictions within the dilapidated palace appeared to suddenly lift.

Then, Shi Yan witnessed figures emerging from palaces nearly a thousand meters away. These individuals were uniformly clad in the robes of the Three Gods Cult.

Each possessed profound cultivation, almost all being warriors at the Nirvana Realm, with about a dozen standing at the Heavenly Position Realm. These cultivators of the Three Gods Cult, having received the summons, rapidly converged from the surrounding halls, gathering before Tang Yuannan and respectfully murmuring, "Cult Master." Tang Yuannan nodded gravely.

"The Cult now faces an unprecedented great danger. There is a strong possibility that the Sun, Moon, and Star Islands of our Cult cannot be held this time.

The fiends advance fiercely. I hope everyone can remain calm and refrain from leaving this location for the moment.

All external reconnaissance will temporarily be handled by myself and the Moon God." The assembled members of the Three Gods Cult nodded one after another, bowing in acknowledgement. Shi Yan narrowed his eyes, observing these warriors, the majority of whom were in the Nirvana Realm.

He roughly estimated their number to be over three hundred—a tremendously potent force. In the Boundless Sea, only the Cao Family, the Martial Soul Hall, and the Yang Family commanded a force exceeding three hundred Nirvana Realm warriors.

The fact that the Three Gods Cult could assemble such strength, even after losing the Star God and Moon God, truly startled Shi Yan. "Lift the restrictions and open the Sun, Moon, and Star Pools.

Shi Yan needs to soak within them to awaken the Star Martial Soul Seal," Tang Yuannan deliberated for a moment before issuing a sharp command. Several aged Heavenly Position Realm elders, upon hearing this, exchanged shocked glances, their expressions filled with surprise as they looked towards Shi Yan.

"Cult Master..." One elder hesitated, unable to contain himself. "For the Star God to gain recognition, it requires a vote of approval from the elders.

Opening the Sun, Moon, and Star Pools so suddenly seems irregular, does it not?" Tang Yuannan frowned but spoke decisively, "Times have changed. Shi Yan has already proven his strength.

He carries the Star Martial Soul within him, which I can attest to. At this critical juncture of the fiend invasion, we need not be constrained by formalities.

We should complete what needs doing sooner." The elders of the Three Gods Cult looked at each other with confusion and hesitation, seemingly disagreeing with Tang Yuannan's decree. "Upon Shi Yan taking the position of Star God, he will be granted an administrative region carved out from the island I oversee; none of your current islands will be taken," Tang Yuannan sneered.

"With fiends rampant across the Yuan Luo Sea Domain now, the islands you control might soon turn to ruins. At a time like this, I believe you shouldn't quibble over minor details." At these words, the expressions of the elders changed immediately.

After a moment of hesitation, they all nodded somberly and ceased their protests. "So, you agree to my decision?" Tang Yuannan asked impatiently.

Hearing this, the elders of the Three Gods Cult all nodded reluctantly, feeling that under the current circumstances, there was indeed little worth arguing about. "Wait a moment." Shi Yan suddenly stood up, drawing sharp, displeased looks from the assembled cult members.

"Cult Master Tang, what are you talking about? Have I agreed to become the Star God of your Three Gods Cult?" The disciples of the Three Gods Cult, including the elders who had just resigned themselves, looked displeased, their gazes towards Shi Yan hardening with anger.

Tang Yuannan was also momentarily stunned. "Becoming the Star God of the Three Gods Cult allows your Star Martial Soul to awaken, truly revealing the profound mysteries of the Star Martial Soul.

This is immensely beneficial for your future achievements and current strength. Moreover, as Star God, you acquire immense authority.

Within the Cult, besides myself and the Moon God, everyone must obey your commands. You will also gain access to one-fifth of the Cult's island resources for your cultivation.

Considering all this, is there anything left to deliberate?" "There is no such thing as a free lunch," Shi Yan slowly shook his head. "I don't believe becoming the Star God of the Three Gods Cult will bring me only benefits with absolutely no constraints.

I want to know what I would be required to do as your Star God. What rules of the Three Gods Cult would I have to abide by?" "Those are minor matters," Tang Yuannan smiled faintly.

"As the Star God of the Cult, when the Cult faces peril, you merely need to exert your full power to resolve my troubles. When the Cult engages in combat with external enemies, as Star God, you are required to eliminate the foe and safeguard the Cult's interests.

That is all." "What happens if the interests of the Three Gods Cult are threatened, and I choose not to act for those interests?" Shi Yan pondered for a moment before suddenly asking. "In that case, the Cult will mobilize all its resources to reclaim the authority granted to you, and seize the Star Martial Soul within your body," Tang Yuannan stated matter-of-factly.

"Then never mind. I have no interest in becoming your Three Gods Cult Star God," Shi Yan refused impolitely.

"I no longer wish to be bound by any restrictions, nor do I wish to sell my life for anyone or any faction. I'll forgo this empty title of Star God; find someone more suitable." "Insolent boy!" A frail, ancient elder suddenly roared, his expression fierce as he glared coldly at Shi Yan.

"You truly don't know what's good for you! If you hadn't stumbled into the Star God's inheritance by sheer rotten luck, given your Yang Family lineage, we would have killed you anyway!

The Cult Master overlooked your Yang bloodline, generously promoting you to the high position of Star God, even offering his own benefits to sustain you—what more could you possibly want?" "I said, I refuse any further constraints!" Shi Yan was completely fearless, his demeanor cold. "Old man, are you deaf?" "Cult Master, forgive my presumption." Flames erupted from the elder's eyes.

He bowed to Tang Yuannan, and before the Cult Master could intervene, he spread both hands and gestured towards Shi Yan, shouting coldly, "Rain of Blazing Sun Fire!" "Whoosh! Whoosh!" Beams of holy sunlight suddenly shot forth from the elder's palms.

These rays of sunlight, like molten, searing fire juice, descended densely upon Shi Yan. Shi Yan let out a cold laugh and abruptly activated the vortex within his body, forged from the fusion of the Sacred Spirit God, Profound Ice Cold Flame, and Earth Core Fire.

He instantly unleashed the intensely frigid power contained within it. "Freeze!" The space around Shi Yan was sealed by the frigid air.

The ground beneath his feet instantly formed thick, solid ice, and even Shi Yan's physical body was encased in an instant. He appeared as a massive ice sculpture, enveloped in ice nearly ten meters thick, emitting chilling cold air.

The Rain of Blazing Sun Fire streaming from the elder's palms struck the ice sculpture covering Shi Yan. However, as soon as the holy sunlight touched the ice formed by the fusion of the Profound Ice Cold Flame and the Sacred Spirit God, it dissolved into scattered specks of sunlight, instantly vanishing under the terrifying cold energy.

Shi Yan let out a cold chuckle and violently stomped one foot inside the ice sculpture. A distinct, pure white cold energy permeated the ground, surging directly towards the elder who had attacked.

Where the white cold energy passed, the earth rapidly froze, as if an icy-boned crystal dragon from beneath the ground had suddenly erupted, revealing its profound, icy spine. "Crack!

Crack! Crack!" As the earth froze rapidly, the white cold energy shot towards the elder.

The man's face changed drastically, immense terror flooding his eyes. He frantically unleashed his full power, instantly merging his Martial Soul power with his vital essence, forming a massive solar halo beside him.

"Holy Light Glazed Shield!" The elder snorted, and the solar halo surrounding him suddenly expanded, rings of holy light extending outward, seemingly compressing the very space around him. "Ice!" Shi Yan, still within the ice sculpture, extended a finger and pointed at him.

Several thousand needle-like beams of white cold light burst from his fingertip, instantly piercing towards the solar halo. "Crack!

Crack! Crack!" Under the gaze of everyone present, the Heavenly Position Realm elder, after deploying the Three Gods Cult's Holy Light Glazed Shield, found his hair and beard instantly frozen stiff.

The holy light halo was overlaid with a layer of silvery-white, effectively paralyzed, unable to release even a single ray of light. All the disciples of the Three Gods Cult were utterly dumbfounded.