Accept… accepted?!

  Lu Fan’s sudden appearance and completely opposite answer stunned both Qi Liujia and the Venerable Joyful.

  Qi Liujia froze in place.

  Even the Venerable Joyful was dumbfounded.

  He had originally thought this was purely good news for the Five Phoenixes. Only after Qi Liujia’s reminder did he realize the danger. He had fully expected Lu Fan to refuse—and perhaps beat the messenger while he was at it.

  Yet to his utter shock, Lu Fan accepted.

  “Lord… Lord Lu, you truly mean this?”

  The Venerable Joyful took a deep breath.

  Lu Fan sat calmly in the Thousand-Bladed Chair and glanced at him.

  “This Young Master always keeps his word.”

  The Venerable Joyful’s heart clenched. Yes—keeps his word. Says he’ll kill you, and you die.

  But since Lu Fan agreed, the mountain of pressure on the monk’s shoulders instantly vanished.

  He was delighted. He couldn’t afford to offend Lu Fan, but he also couldn’t defy the Great Venerable and the Upper Realm.

  “In that case, allow this monk to be the first to congratulate Lord Lu. Five strands of Dao Intent simply for hosting!”

  The Venerable Joyful’s eyes narrowed into happy crescents.

  To upgrade a High Martial world, Dao Intent must be etched into its origin.

  There were several ways:

  1. Let time slowly accumulate it—most High Martial worlds relied on this, as did many Mid Martial worlds that eventually became High Martial.

  2. Geniuses who comprehended Dao Intent could feed it back into the world’s origin.

  That was the most common method for advancement, which was why every High Martial world nurtured geniuses so obsessively.

  3. External rewards—like the Upper Realm’s prizes or, in the Heavenly Grand Tournament, stripping Dao Intent from defeated worlds.

  Yes—the Heavenly Grand Tournament was essentially a carnival of plunder and ascension for High Martial worlds.

  An enormous opportunity for any world.

  “Young Master… absolutely not!”

  Qi Liujia was panicking.

  Why did the Young Master agree so easily?

  He knew Lu Fan was strong and probably intended to cause chaos in the tournament.

  But this time, chaos wasn’t something Lu Fan could just decide to create.

  The Heavenly Grand Tournament concerned the entire Nine Heavens. Nearly every High Martial world would pay attention—even the top-tier First and Second Evolution worlds.

  For the Five Phoenixes to stand in the spotlight now would invite calamity.

  Countless ancient experts had died in the Nihility during the primordial war. Nearly every top High Martial world in the Nine Heavens had ancestors buried there.

  Moreover, the Nihility itself hid immense secrets. As the only High Martial world within it, the Five Phoenixes would become a target for everyone.

  “No harm.”

  Lu Fan merely waved a hand, expression serene.

  Qi Liujia didn’t understand, but since Lu Fan had made his decision, he gradually calmed.

  The Venerable Joyful sensed the heavy atmosphere and let his smile fade.

  “Lord Lu need not worry—there are still ten years until the tournament. Also, after careful consideration, the Great Venerable asked this monk to inform Lord Lu…”

  “Originally, according to Upper Realm rules, the Five Phoenixes should fall under Pingyang Heaven and the Great Venerable’s jurisdiction. You would have needed to participate in Pingyang Heaven’s preliminary selection for the tournament.”

  “However, the Nihility is also one of the Nine Heavens, equal to Pingyang Heaven. Since the Five Phoenixes is the only High Martial world within the Nihility, the Great Venerable has waived the preliminaries. The Five Phoenixes may directly enter the main event.”

  The Venerable Joyful bowed with a wide smile.

  “Congratulations.”

  Yet neither Lu Fan nor Qi Liujia acknowledged him—no smile, no response.

  The air turned painfully awkward.

  The monk wiped his palms on his robe.

  “This monk has delivered the message. Lord Lu, Sect Leader Qi—this monk takes his leave.”

  He stepped onto a Buddhist lotus and fled in a streak of light, vanishing from the Nihility as though his monastery were on fire.

  Lu Fan remained seated, fingers slowly tapping the armrest.

  With the monk gone, silence fell.

  Qi Liujia said nothing.

  Far away, the wanderers’ eyes turned red with excitement.

  The void erupted.

  “The Five Phoenixes will host the Heavenly Grand Tournament?!”

  “Is this real? The Nihility actually gets to host?!”

  “This is a once-in-eons event! Even Fourth and Fifth Evolution worlds rarely qualify! We might witness the prodigies of Third Evolution worlds and above!”

  Gasps and ecstatic shouts echoed through the emptiness.

  Compared to the wanderers’ jubilation, Qi Liujia felt only bitterness.

  He simply could not understand why Lu Fan had agreed.

  The whole point of the time formation was to develop quietly.

  A new system prompt had appeared before Lu Fan’s eyes.

  He had thought the quest system was gone forever after the upgrade.

  Yet here it was again—triggered only under special conditions.

  With a thought, the panel appeared.

  A new quest glowed brightly.

  “Honor and duty are the roots that drive a world to grow stronger.”

  Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  【Glory Quest】: Accept and host the Heavenly Grand Tournament. Let the beings of the Five Phoenixes Small World feel glory and mission. Compete against the geniuses of the Sacred Lands and seize rankings.

  (Reward evaluated based on completion.)

  Lu Fan read it twice, then the corner of his mouth curved upward.

  “Instill a sense of honor and duty in the people of the Five Phoenixes…”

  He fell into thought.

  Indeed—mere quiet development would eventually scatter a world’s cohesion. Only honor and mission could elevate its spirit.

  If the beings of a world possessed true pride and responsibility, they would stand united against any future crisis instead of betraying their home.

  “Glory Quest… difficulty seems quite high. Reward depends on performance—ranking is only part of it.”

  Lu Fan smiled and stopped dwelling on it.

  Ten years remained—plenty of time.

  Ten years outside meant a full century inside the Five Phoenixes.

  In a hundred years, Lu Fan believed Tribulation Realm experts might even emerge!

  The subtle pressure radiating from Lu Fan made Qi Liujia afraid to breathe.

  “Old Qi, tell me about this Heavenly Grand Tournament.”

  Lu Fan finally spoke, breaking the icy silence.

  Qi Liujia exhaled in relief, but quickly grew solemn again.

  “Young Master… you truly don’t know what the tournament is?”

  His face paled.

  Lu Fan looked at him oddly.

  “Why would this Young Master know?”

  “Besides, free Dao Intent? I’d be a fool to refuse.”

  Qi Liujia clutched his chest in pain.

  One day, he thought, the Young Master would destroy the Five Phoenixes through sheer recklessness.

  Agreeing to host without even knowing what it entailed?

  Yet strangely, the absurdity lightened his heart.

  “The Heavenly Grand Tournament is the grandest event of the Nine Heavens.”

  “As the plane lord of a High Martial world, Young Master should understand how difficult further ascension is. Natural accumulation over time is far too slow—this is true for every High Martial world in the Nine Heavens.”

  “That is why the tournament exists.”

  “It began in the primordial era, jointly established by the ancient Great Emperor ‘Hao’ and several supreme beings of the Nine Heavens. It paused during the great war, then resumed once peace returned…”

  “Beyond rankings, victors may strip Dao Intent from defeated worlds and merge it into their own origin, witnessed by the Great Dao of the Nine Heavens.”

  Lu Fan’s brow furrowed.

  “Strip Dao Intent from the losers?”

  “All of it?”

  “Not all—negotiated between both parties under the Great Dao’s oath.”

  Qi Liujia nodded.

  “That is why the tournament has endured. Weak High Martial worlds can become dark horses, rise overnight, and soar in evolution. Bottlenecked worlds can break through in a single leap. Waiting naturally would take far too long.”

  “It is gambling a world’s foundation.”

  “Win—you ascend brilliantly. Lose… you fade into obscurity.”

  Lu Fan leaned back, cracking his knuckles.

  “Interesting.”

  Whoever designed this tournament was truly ruthless.

  Winners shone like stars. Losers were left in the dust—some worlds even demoted to Mid Martial.

  Qi Liujia hesitated before continuing.

  “Young Master… the Great Venerable waiving the preliminaries seems generous, but the Five Phoenixes actually loses out greatly.”

  “Without preliminaries, we miss the chance to plunder Dao Intent from weaker worlds.”

  “Even in preliminaries, victors can only take one strand per win…”

  Lu Fan understood instantly.

  No wonder the monk fled so fast.

  He had conveniently omitted that detail.

  Very well, Venerable Joyful.

  Lu Fan cracked his knuckles again—CRACK!

  This one, I’ll remember.

  “No matter.”

  Lu Fan remained calm.

  “Old Qi, how exactly is the tournament fought?”

  Qi Liujia knew the rules well—he had once participated representing the Little Thunder Buddha World.

  “It is divided into team battles and individual battles. Participants are capped at the Grandmaster level and below—no Transcending experts allowed. This restricts overwhelmingly strong worlds and gives weaker ones a chance.”

  Lu Fan raised a brow.

  Capped at Grandmaster?

  That did indeed level the field somewhat.

  With ten years—nearly a century inside the Five Phoenixes—the outcome was far from certain.

  Qi Liujia took a deep breath.

  “Young Master, besides team and individual battles, there are also side competitions for flair.”

  “Oh?”

  Lu Fan grew curious.

  Qi Liujia coughed, a faint blush on his old face.

  “This old man once participated in one…”

  “There are three professions: Array Masters, Alchemists, and Artifact Forgers. These are gentler contests—no killing, but Dao Intent is still wagered, so they cannot be ignored.”

  Lu Fan’s interest sharpened.

  Professions too?

  Then something clicked. His eyes narrowed.

  “Old Qi, in the Array Master competition… will those disciples of yours who hold the Nine Character Array Words participate?”

  Qi Liujia stiffened.

  After a long silence, he nodded.

  “They will.”

  Lu Fan smiled.

  “Perfect. Then this Young Master will be sure to greet your dear disciples properly.”

  Qi Liujia looked at Lu Fan’s innocent expression and actually laughed.

  “In that case… this old man thanks you in advance.”

  The two fell silent, then turned into streaks of light and returned to the Five Phoenixes.

  The tournament was a decade away. For now, it changed nothing.

  …

  Pingyang Heaven, Little Thunder Buddha World.

  Only after returning did the Venerable Joyful finally relax.

  He shook out his robes and headed toward the pagoda.

  Rumble…

  The Great Venerable’s overwhelming aura spread.

  The monk grew solemn, pressed his palms together, and bowed.

  “Great Venerable.”

  “Did Lu Ping’an agree?”

  The majestic voice echoed.

  “He did.”

  “He actually dared…” Surprise colored the Great Venerable’s tone.

  “But he had no choice—even whoever stands behind him cannot stop this.”

  “Still, his ready acceptance is unexpected. He must have great confidence in the Five Phoenixes. A pity… once the Upper Realm’s supreme beings turn their gaze upon it, that confidence will be crushed to dust. When the tournament begins, every secret the Five Phoenixes hides will be dragged into the light.”

  The Great Venerable’s murmurs thundered.

  Cold sweat beaded on the monk’s forehead.

  Great Venerable… please never send me with dangerous messages again!

  I’m afraid Lu Ping’an will kill me!

  “Enough. Begin preparations for Pingyang Heaven’s preliminaries. It is time the Little Thunder Buddha World ascends once more.”

  …

  The Five Phoenixes.

  Great Xuan founded its divine dynasty amid worldwide celebration.

  Dantai Xuan’s dragon qi exceeding a hundred zhang was etched into every heart.

  But after the festivities, silence returned.

  Cultivators dispersed to their sects and resumed training.

  The divine dynasty continued governing, mediating between mortals and cultivators.

  Great Xuan Academies spread across the land—even into the former western territories.

  Remnants of the Madden Kingdom and the cult went completely silent, as though erased from existence.

  Yet Prime Minister Mo Ju never let down his guard, repeatedly submitting memorials urging thorough purges.

  Dantai Xuan agreed.

  Great Xuan’s iron cavalry swept the west, exterminating evil wherever it lingered.

  The cultivation world entered a brief period of quiet growth.

  Overlord and Nie Changqing consecutively achieved Grandmaster realm.

  At the Primordial Spirit Platform, as dawn broke, they shattered their statues and stepped into Spirit Unity.

  Demonic qi roared to the heavens as Overlord’s axe seemed to split the sky.

  Nie Changqing’s scruffy beard trembled as Dragon Slayer cleaved the Vast Sea in two, the wound refusing to heal for days.

  Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, and others came to congratulate. The cultivation world shook.

  Qi Liujia appeared, spoke briefly with Overlord and Nie Changqing, then the two vanished from the continent as though they had never existed.

  Thereafter, statues at the Primordial Spirit Platform shattered from time to time—more broke through, yet all kept utmost secrecy.

  The cultivation world was a pot of water on the verge of boiling, brimming with power.

  Time flowed silently.

  The first decade of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty passed in the blink of an eye.

  The land prospered under stable rule.

  Mo Beike and Tang Xiansheng retired.

  Tang Xiansheng returned to Southern Commandery.

  Mo Beike rebuilt a mechanism city atop the ruins of the old Mohist City of the West.

  Though two pillars departed, the dynasty did not falter.

  Great Xuan Academies flourished. Dantai Xuan instituted grand examinations to select officials.

  Some lingering sect remnants rebelled, attempting to challenge the dynasty.

  Dantai Xuan sent Jiang Li and his cavalry—they were crushed effortlessly.

  Before the mighty divine dynasty, sects were nothing.

  The second decade—Great Xuan’s iron cavalry patrolled every corner. Spirit stones became currency, commerce boomed. Alchemists and artifact forgers who graduated from the academies became the most sought-after professions.

  Old aristocratic clans decayed; new merchant clans rose to prominence.

  Pills and spirit tools spread across the land—even commoners could afford basic artifacts.

  The third decade—the first rebellion erupted.

  Tianyuan natives rose against discriminatory Five Phoenixes officials stationed there. It was called the Tianyuan Uprising.

  Many cultivators fanned the flames.

  A Yin Spirit cultivator interfered, destroying an entire city in one strike—blood flowed like rivers.

  Dantai Xuan was enraged. Dragon qi pierced the heavens.

  He personally led the campaign, quelled the uprising, and with one shout shattered the offending cultivator’s soul.

  Instead of punishing Tianyuan natives, he executed corrupt Five Phoenixes officials and promoted locals to govern the region.

  Returning to the palace, he ordered Tianji Pavilion to devise a new official selection system.

  He personally visited Kong Nanfei and invited him to teach righteous haoran qi within the Great Xuan Academy.

  All officials were required to cultivate haoran qi—any corruption or evil thought would shatter their qi, leading to immediate dismissal.

  The court trembled, but corruption nearly vanished.

  The divine dynasty prospered as never before.

  The fifth decade—Dantai Xuan’s dragon qi fell below a hundred zhang.

  He chose his eldest son as Crown Prince among seven imperial sons.

  The eighth decade—his black hair turned snow-white. Age finally showed.

  The world sighed: the Human Emperor grows old.

  Though not a cultivator, abundant spiritual energy allowed commoners to live past a hundred. With dragon qi sustaining him, the emperor lived longer still.

  That year, the Human Emperor was 127. The Crown Prince was 58.

  Jiang Li resigned, taking one hundred Black Tortoise Guards into the ancient tomb—never to be heard from again.

  Mo Ju retired and wandered the world.

  One by one, those closest to the emperor departed.

  Deep within the cold, silent palace,

  The emperor sat alone, turbid eyes staring toward the eastern sea, lost in thought.

  Great Xuan Calendar, Year Ninety, Spring.

  The Crown Prince, backed by one Yang God and ten Yin God experts, stormed the capital.

  The Human Emperor was old.

  The Crown Prince rebelled.