Five Phoenix Continent.

  The world’s protective barrier was crumbling at an accelerating pace.

  Qi Liujia’s expression was grave, as if facing an existential threat. He found Li Sansui and, without holding anything back, poured every ounce of his lifetime’s knowledge into the younger man.

  Afterward, he left the ocean domain and entered the Immortal Legacy Ruins. Seated beneath the sundial where time flowed faster, he began deducing formations, desperate to weave a world-shaking grand array that could shield Five Phoenix.

  Even if he himself couldn’t hold the line, the array had to last until Lu’s return.

  Out at sea, without Qi Liujia’s deterrence, the Holy Sons and Holy Maidens were once again locked inside the ice towers.

  Yet strangely, they no longer seemed anxious. Cold, expectant smirks played on their lips.

  They quietly awaited the calamity that would soon befall this world.

  Especially the Golden Boy and Jade Girl of the Black-White Holy Land—their faces twisted with pure venom.

  Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, the Empress, and the others had also sensed something ominous.

  Their expressions heavy, they retreated to their primordial spirit platforms and entered secluded cultivation, racing to achieve unity of the primordial spirit and step into the Mighty Being realm.

  Overlord, Nie Changqing, Ning Zhao, and the rest likewise poured themselves into training within the Immortal Legacy Ruins.

  The entire Five Phoenix Continent was like a machine running at full throttle.

  As Five Phoenix officially entered the High Martial stage, heaven and earth underwent another metamorphosis. Countless heavenly treasures and spirit herbs emerged across the land.

  Cultivators set out across mountains and rivers, chasing destiny.

  In the early days of this transformation, the spiritual fruits and treasures that appeared sparked a bloody storm throughout the cultivation world.

  Sect after sect dispatched disciples into famous mountains, great rivers, and blessed lands to hunt for opportunities.

  When foreign enemies appeared, everyone united against them.

  But when treasures were on the line, the knives came out immediately.

  This, after all, was the true face of the cultivation world—everyone scrambling for power, groping their way toward immortality.

  During this period, explorers began encountering a new kind of spiritual being: the Demon Race.

  These demons were anything but weak.

  They clashed with human cultivators over spirit medicines and fruits.

  The old saying held true—different tribes, inevitable conflict.

  War erupted between demons and humans over these heavenly treasures.

  Casualties were heavy, but for now, the demons were outnumbered and outgunned; humanity held the upper hand.

  Then Demon Kings emerged.

  The Demon Monkey King swung a frigid black-iron staff and smashed a Golden Core cultivator who had been massacring demons into paste with a single blow, igniting the powder keg.

  The Silver Wolf King, the Black Tiger King, and other Demon King-level powerhouses appeared, taking command of their kind.

  What began as skirmishes slowly escalated into something far more dangerous.

  …

  Northern County, Tai Ridge, Asking Heaven Peak.

  Great Xuan Imperial Palace.

  Ministers filed into the throne room and took their places.

  Emperor Tantai Xuan sat high upon his dragon throne in resplendent robes. At his side, an attendant read aloud the memorials submitted by the officials.

  Most concerned the livelihood of the common people—ever since Tantai Xuan took the throne, the people’s welfare had been his top priority, and his ministers followed suit.

  Tantai Xuan nodded slightly, clearly pleased.

  Thanks to Five Phoenix’s latest heavenly transformation, the bodies of ordinary citizens had grown stronger and healthier. Crop yields soared, labor efficiency skyrocketed, and even the grain ripened earlier than ever—yet the quality only improved.

  Tantai Xuan smiled, thoroughly satisfied.

  His mind was clear, and even his imperial dragon qi grew a fraction denser.

  As lord of Great Xuan, the people’s happiness was the foundation of his throne—and the source of his imperial dragon qi’s stability and growth.

  Once the reports on civilian matters concluded, Mo Ju stepped forward, his face grave, and began briefing the emperor on the cultivation world.

  “My liege, demon clans have appeared in most blessed lands within Great Xuan’s borders. Conflicts between humans and demons have already caused significant casualties.”

  “Furthermore… beyond the Endless Desert, west of the Demon Continent, foreign tribes from the Western Regions are growing restless.”

  “Does Your Majesty remember Liu Yuanhao?”

  “That man infiltrated those western tribes, founded a demonic cult, and has been slaughtering demons en masse to harvest their crystals for cultivation. He’s deliberately framing Great Xuan’s righteous cultivators for the killings. The demons are simple-minded; they cannot distinguish the cult from our legitimate sects… I fear they will take the bait.”

  Mo Ju spoke with worry.

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  As the newly appointed head of Great Xuan Academy, he now bore primary responsibility for cultivation affairs. Mo Beike had grown old and retired, leaving the burden on Mo Ju’s shoulders.

  “A cult?” Tantai Xuan snorted. “So the former Black Dragon Cult leader is still skulking about? A gutless rat who couldn’t even scratch this king’s defenses.”

  “As for the demons—they can’t make big waves. How many true powerhouses do they really have? If push comes to shove, we assemble Great Xuan’s cultivator legions and flatten the entire Demon Continent.”

  “Still, unless it’s absolutely necessary, we won’t mobilize the cultivation armies.”

  Mo Ju frowned.

  The emperor wasn’t wrong—demon powerhouses were indeed few.

  Yet demons reproduced quickly, and their cultivation through demon crystals gave them a terrifying advantage under the current transformed heavens. New powerhouses were popping up like weeds.

  Mo Ju tried to caution him further, but Tantai Xuan waved it off.

  “No matter how fierce the demons become, they are still creatures of Five Phoenix. Our real enemy lies beyond the skies!”

  Tantai Xuan stood with hands clasped behind his back, gazing upward.

  Mo Ju opened his mouth, then closed it again, letting out a helpless sigh.

  The emperor was right, yet…

  In Mo Ju’s view, that cult was the true ticking time bomb.

  …

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  On a vast, barren continent long stripped of life, terrifying energies clashed without restraint.

  This was a corner of the Void Heaven—an ancient, lifeless land.

  Yet today, it played host to a gathering of horrifyingly powerful experts, any one of whom could shake the entire Void Heaven.

  Now they fought one another before a majestic palace.

  Energy spilled everywhere, cracking the earth and snapping mountain ranges like twigs.

  But every stray blast that struck the palace itself vanished without leaving a scratch.

  The towering gates remained tightly shut, devoid of any glow, yet they withstood the pressure of these titans without so much as a crack.

  Clearly, profound and terrifying formation runes protected the palace, keeping it eternal and inviolable.

  Lu Ping’an sat in his Thousand Blades Chair, momentarily speechless.

  He watched the battle raging overhead and genuinely didn’t know what to say.

  These experts were fighting over the token in his hand.

  Dazzling divine light and tyrannical auras wove together, nearly tearing the void apart.

  Under normal circumstances, such clashes should have shaken the entire Void Heaven, yet the swirling laws of the void absorbed every ripple.

  Lu’s gaze sharpened; lines danced in his pupils as he looked past the combatants into the emptiness beyond.

  This region… was far from ordinary.

  He took a deep breath.

  The Northern Palace Holy Lord roared in fury, radiant light exploding from his body as he unleashed world-shaking fist strikes.

  Alone, he held off several black-robed figures.

  Each exhale from those black-robed experts collapsed the void—they were all Mighty Being-level existences!

  Lu was completely ignored.

  Or rather, no one had ever truly noticed him. To these giants, a mere Qi Condensation teenager with a bone age of just over ten years was nothing but meat on the chopping block.

  The token in his hand was already considered theirs.

  Lu was happy to stay out of the spotlight.

  Leaning back in his chair, he watched the show.

  He had to admit—they were strong.

  Even he felt a flicker of awe.

  Holy Lord-level experts.

  Whether it was the Northern Palace Holy Lord or those mysterious black-robed figures, every one of them far surpassed the eighteen Mighty Beings he had encountered before.

  Of course, Lu could tell none of them were fighting to the death.

  This was mostly probing; they just wanted the others to back off.

  The Emperor’s Tomb hadn’t opened yet—there was no reason to risk mutual destruction.

  After watching a while and seeing no real killing moves, Lu lost interest.

  The Spiritual Pressure Chessboard materialized before him.

  Reclining in the Thousand Blades Chair, he smiled faintly and began placing pieces.

  A white stone fell.

  Plink.

  The crisp sound echoed in front of the palace gates.

  Hm?

  Far away, the black-robed expert perched on the back of a ferocious bird narrowed his eyes.

  He sensed something unusual.

  Looking past the Northern Palace Holy Lord’s battle, he spotted the white-robed youth leisurely playing Go.

  “Surrounded by clashing Holy Lords, yet completely unfazed by their pressure?”

  A glint flashed through the man’s eyes; wariness stirred in his heart.

  Such composure either meant the boy had an ace up his sleeve… or he had already given up on life.

  Logically, a Qi Condensation kid would fall into the latter category.

  Yet for some reason, the expert on the bird felt the former was more likely.

  “I must be insane… to think a Qi Condensation brat could have a trump card against multiple Holy Lords…”

  He shook his head with a bitter laugh.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  The battle grew fiercer.

  A dazzling golden fist swept forward like a tidal wave, the impact deafening.

  Aboard his warship, the Northern Palace Holy Lord threw his head back and laughed.

  He truly possessed peerless elegance and overwhelming battle prowess.

  “You lot think you’re worthy to challenge me?!”

  His eyes blazed as he threw punch after punch.

  A golden phantom seemed to appear behind him, mirroring his fist technique.

  Several black-robed Mighty Beings were suppressed; muffled grunts escaped them before they retreated, unwilling to press the fight.

  The Emperor’s Tomb hadn’t opened yet—getting injured now would only benefit the others.

  Hair flying wildly, the Northern Palace Holy Lord laughed in exhilaration.

  Then his gaze shifted, landing on the white-robed Qi Condensation youth.

  Time to claim that token.

  One extra token might grant him another opportunity inside the tomb.

  He was surprised.

  He had assumed the terrifying pressure would have killed the boy outright—or at least scared him witless.

  Yet there the youth sat, calmly playing Go, looking almost dashing.

  White robes fluttering, he seemed like an immortal descended to the mortal world.

  Perhaps sensing the gaze, Lu Ping’an smiled faintly at the Northern Palace Holy Lord.

  He rolled up his sleeve, pinched a black stone from the floating Go ke, and held it aloft.

  At that moment, every expert present finally noticed him—the very first person to arrive before the Emperor’s Tomb.

  “This boy… there’s something unusual about him. We actually failed to see through him?”

  “Utterly calm amid Holy Lord-level combat—could he be a heaven-defying genius from a Derivation Five or higher High Martial world?”

  The floating experts exchanged glances.

  They gave up contending for the boy’s token.

  To them, one token was enough to enter the tomb.

  And the Northern Palace Holy Lord was simply too strong—there was no need to offend him for an extra token they didn’t strictly need.

  “Good guts.”

  The Northern Palace Holy Lord actually revealed a trace of appreciation.

  “Hand over the token and wait outside. When I return, I’ll take you as my disciple.”

  His voice boomed like thunder before the palace gates.

  The smile on Lu Ping’an’s face gradually faded.

  He shook his head.

  The Northern Palace Holy Lord’s expression darkened.

  “You have no right to refuse.”

  He took a step forward—gods and demons seemed to march with him. His foot descended like the beating of war drums.

  BOOM!

  Each step thundered, stirring the blood and qi of everyone present.

  This was the application of momentum.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Every stride of a Holy Lord resounded like thunder!

  He expected to see pain and submission on the boy’s face.

  But soon, disappointment set in.

  The youth showed neither pain nor submission—in fact, he looked perfectly at ease, the corners of his mouth curling… into a mocking smirk.

  Mocking?!

  The Northern Palace Holy Lord’s gaze sharpened.

  The surrounding experts were stunned.

  A Qi Condensation ant daring to sneer at a Holy Land’s Holy Lord?

  Where did this confidence come from?

  Only the black-robed expert atop the ferocious bird felt a sudden chill crawl up his spine.

  The youth rolled up his sleeve and dropped the piece.

  Plink.

  The crisp sound cut straight through the thunder of the Holy Lord’s footsteps.

  The very next instant—

  The chessboard trembled.

  Unseen until now, countless formation runes cascaded from the void like a curtain of light.

  “Formation runes?!”

  Someone cried out in shock.

  The instant the runes appeared, the expert on the bird fled without hesitation.

  Whoosh!

  The formation runes fell like rain, radiant light blotting out the sky.

  Inside the runes, crisscrossing lines formed a massive Go board.

  Some tried to retreat beyond the formation’s reach.

  Too late.

  While everyone had been focused on the Northern Palace Holy Lord’s battle, the area had already been silently enveloped by an invisible grand array.

  Aside from the hyper-vigilant expert who had fled early and those still on their way—everyone else was trapped inside.

  “What is the meaning of this?”

  The Northern Palace Holy Lord remained relatively calm.

  BOOM!

  He threw a horizontal punch—overbearing, unstoppable—trying to shatter the formation and leap off the board.

  Yet the fist that could suppress Venerables sank into the void like a stone into the sea.

  This grand array was unimaginably profound!

  The youth in the Thousand Blades Chair slowly moved forward.

  White robes fluttering, he glided into the formation.

  “I, Lu Ping’an, am not a petty man. You want my token? Fine, I won’t hold a grudge. My demands are modest…”

  “Just let me borrow yours for a bit.”

  Then, as if remembering something, Lu Ping’an glanced sideways at the Northern Palace Holy Lord, a smirk tugging at his lips.

  “You have no right to refuse.”

  “Insolence!”

  The Northern Palace Holy Lord flew into a rage.

  The trapped experts wore expressions of utter disbelief.

  This kid was insane!

  He was throwing the Holy Lord’s own words back in his face!

  One black-robed expert tried to move, only to be blocked by emerging formation lines.

  Many paled.

  The formation… had completely isolated them?!

  The Northern Palace Holy Lord laughed in fury—he had coveted the boy’s token, never imagining the boy coveted his in return.

  He lashed out with a palm strike.

  The void quaked; the air howled with ferocious tremors.

  A mere Qi Condensation ant would die with one slap.

  Yet—

  The youth casually drew the small jade sword pinning his hair.

  With a light flick, he slashed downward.

  Pfft!

  The palm strike was cleaved in two; the energy dispersed harmlessly to either side.

  The youth tossed the jade sword into the air, where it hovered.

  Placing both hands on the armrests of his wheelchair, he twisted his neck, then slowly rose to his feet.

  …?

  For some reason, the Northern Palace Holy Lord felt a sudden chill.

  As the youth stood, his warm, jade-like aura vanished. His white robes gradually turned pitch black—black so deep it devoured light itself.

  Demonic qi… erupted like a tsunami!

  “A special physique?!”

  With his extraordinary vision, the Northern Palace Holy Lord sensed the overwhelming demonic pressure and cried out in shock.

  The transformed Demon Lord Lu Ping’an smiled.

  He wasn’t entirely sure just how strong the upgraded Indestructible Demon Body had become.

  He was also still unfamiliar with properly wielding primordial spirit power and chaos energy.

  Perfect timing…

  A rare Holy Lord-level sparring partner—no, opponent—had delivered himself right to his doorstep.

  Just what he needed to test his limits.

  Ink-black hair danced wildly; black robes flapped like war banners amid rolling demonic qi.

  The Demon Lord’s eyes turned cold and indifferent as eternal ice.

  He slowly clenched his fist.

  BOOM!

  Ninety-nine strands of primordial spirit power surged.

  With a thought—

  Twenty-nine hertz of chaos energy coursed through him.

  Even Lu himself was curious.

  Just how strong… would a full-power strike be?

  The next instant.

  He vanished into an afterimage.

  A trail of demonic qi streaked sideways, reappearing directly in front of the Northern Palace Holy Lord.

  Simple and direct.

  One punch—thrown down.