Atop the mountain peak, the wind howled.
White robes fluttered.
Lu Fan sat leisurely in the Thousand-Bladed Chair, one hand propping his chin, the other lightly tapping the armrest.
Beside him, the clay-figure avatar of Qi Liujia—containing a wisp of primordial spirit—stared in horror.
Though only a clone, it still carried primordial spirit power and was no weakling. Yet Lu’s mere presence nearly shattered it.
“You’ve been waiting for me a long time?”
Lu glanced at the old man.
At this moment, the elder felt an unimaginable pressure beneath Lu Fan’s calm exterior.
Even his wisp of primordial spirit felt like it might explode, unable to maintain the clay body’s form.
How could this youth be so terrifying?!
It was as if he faced a raging storm at sea—his heart trembled uncontrollably.
Was the boy deliberately targeting him?
No… the youth wasn’t releasing any pressure on purpose.
This was simply the spiritual sense leaking from him.
Just the leakage of spiritual sense was enough to suffocate his primordial spirit?
How monstrous was this spiritual sense?!
“No…”
The old man finally spoke.
He had finally met Lu Fan as he wished.
He had intended to invite the youth to join the Six Armor Array Sect—perhaps even take him as a disciple.
He had seen great potential in Lu Fan, believing he carried the bloodline of an ancient emperor.
But now… he couldn’t bring himself to speak the words. They stuck in his throat.
“Oh.”
Lu Fan nodded slightly.
“Then… while this Young Master was in seclusion, you knocked on my door repeatedly… Were you trying to make me deviate and succumb to qi deviation?”
Lu Fan tilted his head.
The old man’s mouth twitched.
When had he knocked?
He had been blocked outside by Lu Fan’s own arrays—he couldn’t even enter the origin space!
The great sect leader of the Six Armor Array Sect… blocked at the door by formations.
How humiliating.
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes. Danger flickered within.
He had a good temper.
But a good temper didn’t mean people could do whatever they wanted in front of him.
Anyone who tried to make him deviate… well, a good temper wouldn’t save them.
Sensing the dangerous shift in Lu Fan’s aura, the clay avatar grew solemn.
“This seat is the Sect Leader of the Six Armor Array Sect…”
Qi Liujia didn’t hide his identity.
He had to treat Lu Fan as an equal.
This youth was terrifying—not only capable of fusing weaker origins into stronger ones, but he had even activated the ancient emperor’s “Proximity” array word.
A rare talent indeed.
“Oh? Six Armor Array Sect?”
Lu Fan raised a brow.
The sect behind that giant?
Here to cause trouble?
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes again, danger flashing.
The giant had acted first—trying to break the Overturning Sky Array and endanger the Five Phoenixes.
He had brought it on himself.
“I, Lu Ping’an, do not start trouble… but I am not afraid of it.”
Lu Fan said calmly.
The words fell.
Thousands of silver blades bloomed around him, turning him into a radiant silver wheel.
The clay avatar could no longer endure—cracks spiderwebbed across it and it exploded.
A wisp of primordial spirit floated free, taking humanoid form.
The old man smiled bitterly.
He had underestimated Lu Fan’s strength, assuming he was merely Spirit Severing.
Now he was paying for it.
“Your disciple bullied me, humiliated me, and tried to destroy my world. He reaped what he sowed.”
Lu Fan said calmly.
The old man nodded slightly.
“That was this old man’s failure to teach properly…”
Lu Fan narrowed his eyes.
“According to your disciple, you sent him.”
Qi Liujia did not deny it.
“This old man has karmic ties with the Buddha of the High Martial Buddhist World. This was merely settling a debt.”
Clearly, he and the Buddhist monk were not on good terms.
Lu Fan nodded.
So the relationship between the giant and the old man… wasn’t as harmonious as he had assumed.
Silence fell between them.
After a long while, Lu Fan spoke again.
“You just said high martial worlds are strictly ranked—even more so than mid-martial worlds?”
Qi Liujia was briefly stunned, then nodded.
“Yes. High martial worlds are ranked from Ninth Derivative to First Derivative. Strength is determined by the origin.”
He continued, “The origin reflects the power of a world’s beings. But at the high martial level, strength is measured by the number of Great Daos derived…”
Lu Fan, reclining in his chair, raised a brow.
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“The number of Great Daos derived?”
He was both puzzled and intrigued.
Qi Liujia’s primordial spirit smiled, pleased by Lu Fan’s curiosity.
He floated cross-legged in the air and explained,
“Mid-martial worlds focus on accumulation. Over millions or tens of millions of years, countless experts strengthen the origin until it reaches supreme mid-martial level.”
“That is accumulation.”
“But high martial is different. It is not just accumulation—it requires deriving Great Daos.”
“You know of Sequence Dao Intents, yes?”
“Sequence Dao Intents are embryonic forms of Great Daos.”
“There are three thousand Great Daos… High martial worlds are ranked from Ninth to First Derivative based on how many they derive.”
Qi Liujia spoke with deep knowledge.
He clearly intended to educate Lu Fan.
He looked at Lu Fan with profound eyes.
“You are mad. Insanely bold. Trying to forge a high martial world by fusing weaker origins into stronger ones… and now, it seems you are on the verge of success.”
Lu Fan neither confirmed nor denied.
In truth, he had already succeeded.
By fusing three supreme mid-martial origins, the Five Phoenixes now qualified to ascend.
It was like a rocket—only needing ignition to break through the atmosphere.
All it needed was Lu Fan’s final push to spin the origin vortex.
“But do not celebrate yet…”
“Ascending from mid to high martial defies heaven itself. Not only will the laws of the world resist, but high martial experts will covet the newborn origin—especially one born in the Nihility. It is a supreme fortune.”
“And once it becomes high martial, the world’s protection vanishes. High martial overlords can descend freely to seize the fortune. That is the true calamity.”
Qi Liujia warned.
Lu Fan nodded slightly.
This explained much about high martial worlds.
Ascending carried significant risks.
The Buddhist monk from the High Martial Buddhist World had threatened him before.
Lu Fan frowned. He needed to take this seriously.
“So you came just to warn this Young Master?”
Qi Liujia’s primordial spirit froze.
Then, with an odd expression, he bowed.
“The array word you obtained from this seat’s disciple is a treasure of our sect. Might this one ask for its return…”
Before he could finish,
Lu Fan’s face turned stern.
“Nonsense. This Young Master has never seen any ‘Proximity’ array word.”
Qi Liujia: “…”
He hadn’t even said which word it was.
So this was outright refusal?
Qi Liujia wasn’t surprised.
He had sensed that Lu Fan had activated the array word.
Something even he couldn’t do.
“Young Master, no rush. Since you have activated the array word and do not intend to return it… this old one has a humble request. Would Young Master consider joining the Six Armor Array Sect… as an elder?”
Qi Liujia forced a smile.
He had originally come to take Lu Fan as a disciple.
But now… elder was the best he could hope for.
Lu Fan didn’t answer.
He just looked at Qi Liujia strangely.
The primordial spirit trembled under his gaze.
“You… don’t tell me you’re eyeing this old one’s sect leader position?”
Qi Liujia asked incredulously.
Lu Fan rolled his eyes.
“Sect leader? Elder? No interest.”
“If there’s nothing else, you may leave.”
Qi Liujia fell silent.
Rejected so cleanly.
Yet he still stared intently.
“Young Master… might this old one be allowed to see the activated ‘Proximity’ array word?”
He asked hopefully.
Lu Fan hesitated.
“You’re talking nonsense again… This Young Master has never seen any ‘Proximity’ array word.”
Qi Liujia: “…”
Enough already.
He wasn’t even trying to get it back.
Sensing the old man’s gaze, Lu Fan thought for a moment and decided not to refuse.
The old man couldn’t beat him anyway.
Let him look.
Who made Lu Ping’an such a nice guy?
If the old man tried to steal it… well, Lu Fan wouldn’t mind killing him.
Buzz…
Lu Fan’s mind stirred.
Terrifying spiritual sense rippled outward, tinting the sky.
In his palm,
The “Proximity” array word emerged.
Qi Liujia’s primordial spirit stared, trembling.
In his eyes, the word blazed with divine light!
BOOM!
Mountains and rivers inverted, stars shifted, seas turned to mulberry fields.
Time flowed like a river.
Qi Liujia felt himself standing in the void behind Lu Fan, beholding a seated figure.
A towering, majestic figure that seemed to sit at the center of heaven and earth.
Its gaze was an endless abyss that swallowed his mind.
“Ancient… Ancient Emperor?!”
Qi Liujia’s primordial spirit wisp exploded.
BOOM!
Atop the Golden Body Continent’s peak, silence returned.
Lu Fan dispersed the array word and leaned back in his chair, admiring the view.
Quite the “standing at the pinnacle, overlooking all mountains” feeling.
He ignored Qi Liujia.
The old man’s intentions were unclear—neither clearly good nor evil.
He had even set up arrays to block many wanderers.
So Lu Fan didn’t bother with his motives.
His attention now turned to the grand arrivals—the holy sons and maidens of high martial worlds.
The dead Heavenly Dragon Holy Son?
Lu Fan barely cared.
A Spirit Severing who hadn’t even comprehended Dao Intent…
His death was no surprise.
Many in the Immortal Relic had trained for ten years—most had grasped Dao Intent.
Even Lu Fan’s own Dao Intent was nearing third-tier.
These new arrivals?
Perfect pressure for the Five Phoenixes cultivators.
In Lu Fan’s words—they could be pure tool people, just like the Tian Luo Continent.
…
In the void.
On a cold, dead continent,
The withered corpse-like Qi Liujia suddenly shuddered, dust falling from his form.
He raised his head, empty eyes filled with shock as he stared toward the Golden Body Continent.
Then, tears seemed to well up.
“This old one… seems to have glimpsed eternity…”
“It truly activated the array word.”
“The destiny of the Nihility… has come!”
The old man wept with emotion.
After a long while, his deep eyes grew resolute.
Perhaps this world… or rather, Lu Fan…
He had to protect.
Even if it meant war with high martial overlords.
He would not hesitate.
…
On the Bloody Battlefield,
Nie Changqing sat cross-legged.
Cold, desolate wind blew.
In the distance, great terror approached from the edge of the void.
“The Heavenly Dragon Holy Son was merely from a Ninth Derivative high martial world…”
“I don’t know how strong that is, but without a doubt—these arriving holy sons and maidens are far stronger!”
Nie Changqing drew a deep breath.
The pressure was immense.
No wonder the prosperous ancient cultivation era had been destroyed.
So this was the power of the demons beyond the heavens.
But why target the Five Phoenixes?
From their words, these holy sons and maidens had overlords backing them.
Perhaps those overlords’ pressure… was borne by the Young Master.
No wonder the Young Master was always so tired.
War intent blazed in Nie Changqing’s eyes.
He rose from the blood-soaked ground.
Dragon Slayer floated up, gripped firmly as he pointed it toward the distant warships and ferocious beasts.
His face was full of provocation and battle intent.
The Young Master held back the overlords.
Then these lackeys?
Leave them to us!
…
“Hm? The Heavenly Dragon Holy Son is dead?”
“Slain by that native?”
Amid flowing radiance, light footsteps sounded on a bronze warship.
Several figures stood aboard.
A youth in golden robes, hands clasped behind his back, crowned with gold, eyes brilliant as suns.
“The Nine Dragons Minor World is only Ninth Derivative—barely high martial thanks to diluted ancient dragon blood. Though he was a holy son, he never grasped Dao Intent. He only bullied wanderers. Losing here is no surprise.”
“In the Nihility, a world capable of ascending to high martial must birth monsters.”
The youth smiled.
His powerful attendants laughed and flattered him.
In the distance, a black-and-white immortal crane soared—mid-stage Spirit Severing, stronger than most wanderers.
A boy and girl sat atop it, resembling golden boy and jade girl—twins, perhaps.
Elsewhere, a ferocious bird of prey spread wings hundreds of li wide.
Three people sat upon it—one a bronze-skinned giant of a man, eyes closed in meditation.
And many more—each radiating terrifying presence.
These were the summoned holy sons and maidens of high martial worlds.
The surrounding wanderers barely dared breathe.
They could not afford to offend high martial holy sons and maidens.
Behind each stood an entire high martial world.
Many wanderers clicked their tongues in awe.
As expected—a newborn high martial origin was supreme fortune.
So many had come.
Truly incredible.
Though the native had slain the dragon and killed the Heavenly Dragon Holy Son…
That was merely the beginning of the calamity!
Against so many holy sons and maidens…
This world was doomed!
Many wanderers sighed in sorrow.
With so many here, they wouldn’t even get scraps.
They could only watch the fortune be taken.
Such was the life of a wanderer.
“That native… is pointing his blade at us?”
“Is he provoking us?”
The golden-robed youth’s eyes flashed with sharp light.
Many meditating holy sons and maidens opened their eyes.
Terrifying pressure erupted.
The darkness seemed to blaze like daylight under their gazes.
“He killed the Heavenly Dragon. As a holy son, it’s natural he’s riding high.”
The twin boy and girl spoke in perfect unison from the crane.
“Be careful. This place is riddled with arrays.”
From a spirit boat radiating mysterious light, another holy son spoke coldly.
BOOM!
Someone couldn’t tolerate Nie Changqing’s provocation.
They crossed the void—
And triggered Qi Liujia’s killing array.
Terrifying killing intent crisscrossed the emptiness.
“It’s Qi Liujia of the Six Armor Array Sect!”
A holy son retreated in embarrassment—but unharmed.
Far superior to the wanderers.
Many looked toward the spirit boat.
A figure in cyan battle armor stood within.
The spirit boat charged straight into the killing array.
Countless array runes shot skyward.
The cyan-armored figure slowly raised a hand—slender, jade-like, almost feminine.
That jade hand grasped the entwining runes.
The ferocious killing array—halted.
Collapsed.
Qi Liujia’s withered form appeared before the holy sons and maidens.
The cyan-armored figure smiled lightly.
“The Six Armor Array Sect’s formations… are nothing special.”
The next moment,
The holy sons and maidens crossed the void, closing in on the Five Phoenixes.
Qi Liujia sat motionless on his dead continent, head bowed.
They did not provoke him—wary of his power.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
As they drew near,
The terrifying auras clashing outside the Five Phoenixes…
Made Nie Changqing on the Bloody Battlefield narrow his eyes.
This pressure…
Was a bit much.
…
On the Golden Body Continent,
Lu Fan watched the cyan-armored figure pluck array runes like strings and shatter the formation with ease.
His eyes lit up.
“Special physique?”
Lu Fan grew thoughtful.
An idea began to form.
The Spirit Pressure Chessboard floated before him.
“Hmm… ten years of seclusion in the relic. Time for them to come out and stretch.”
Lu Fan smiled.
He picked up a warm chess piece between two fingers.
Pa.
It fell on the board.
Five Phoenixes Continent.
Boundless Sea.
The cascading Origin Waterfall—abruptly stopped.
The next instant…
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Terrifying rings of energy exploded across the sea.
As though ancient beasts long asleep…
Had awakened.
