Flashes of fragmented images, searing pain like countless steel blades slicing through his mind.

  The agony spread across Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor’s consciousness and soul like a spiderweb.

  He vaguely glimpsed something—blurred scenes flickering through his mind. He had a premonition that these images were crucial, tied to a heaven-shaking secret.

  But every time he tried to see them clearly, his soul felt as if it would tear apart.

  It was as though an invisible hand gripped his heart. If he dared pursue those memories with curiosity, the hand would squeeze, crushing his heart!

  Pfft!

  Blood poured from Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor’s mouth and nose. He dropped to one knee in the Destiny Tower’s hall.

  His expression was unsightly.

  “My memories… someone sealed my memories?! Who?!”

  Spiderweb-like cracks filled his eyes.

  Many in the Destiny Tower hall were startled by his outburst.

  Yet Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor ignored them, seemingly lost in madness.

  The terrifying Golden Immortal pressure radiating from him kept everyone at bay.

  Only after a long while did he calm down.

  His destiny sea had completed the Third Revolution. His current strength was nearly on par with his previous life’s, though back then he had walked far deeper into the Great Emperor realm. As a newly ascended Third Revolution Golden Immortal, there was still a gap in combat power.

  “It must be that ‘Hao’… What exactly did I see deep within the void rift…?”

  Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor clenched his fist.

  After exhaling slowly, he took his exchanged items and left the Destiny Tower.

  His abnormal behavior had already drawn the attention of the tower’s controllers.

  As for his sealed memories, Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor would not give up searching. Since he had sensed them, he would continue to probe relentlessly.

  He wanted to restore his memories. He wanted to know… what was hidden deep within that rift.

  What secrets did the Nine Heavens conceal from him?

  For a Great Emperor of the Nine Heavens to be unaware of such secrets—what a terrifying thought.

  Ancient Emperor Hao and those other ancient Emperors—what exactly had they done behind his back?!

  Was the decline of the Nine Heavens related to them?!

  The moment he teleported out of the Destiny Tower and stepped onto the solid ground of Five Phoenixes,

  Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor sensed something. His expression shifted slightly.

  He looked toward the void abyss. Terrifying auras surged endlessly from the passage mouth.

  Those auras were like streaks of light in the darkness—impossible to ignore, drawing the eyes of every creature in the shadows.

  “So powerful… god and demon auras…”

  “Are the gods and demons launching a full-scale invasion of Five Phoenixes?”

  Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor shook his head.

  At his current level—a newly ascended Third Revolution Golden Immortal—his ability to help was limited.

  Moreover, his mind was consumed by the issue of his sealed memories. He had no interest in the battle in the Primordial Starry Sky.

  He needed to return to the Yu King’s Manor. He needed to strengthen the little princess first.

  Only when she had the power to protect herself could he pursue what he wanted without worry.

  Even if something happened to him, she would be able to take care of herself.

  “Perhaps… I could ask Lu Ping’an to help with the sealed memories in my mind.”

  Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor pondered.

  But the thought was quickly dismissed.

  That bastard Lu Ping’an…

  No way.

  He shook his head, casting the idea aside.

  He and Lu Ping’an… were enemies!

  …

  In the boundless sea,

  Within the ancient tomb,

  Nowadays, Gu Mangran’s figure rarely appeared in the tomb.

  Having broken through to Golden Immortal and severed ties with the Nine Heavens to become a true cultivator of Five Phoenixes, Gu Mangran now devoted himself entirely to nurturing the Sea Tribe.

  He returned to the tomb less and less.

  Jiang Li, Ximen Xianzhi, Mo Liqi, and Luo Mingyue were still cultivating within the tomb.

  Because Gu Mangran had told them they had inherited the legacies of the four kings. They should cultivate diligently in the tomb and walk their own paths.

  He hoped Jiang Li and the others could carry forward the legacies of the four kings.

  Of course, besides them, Lu Changkong and Bu Nanxing still resided in the tomb.

  Ever since receiving the Immortal Mandala from Lu, Lu Changkong had become obsessed, tirelessly researching the immortal herb seed.

  He wanted to cultivate the Immortal Mandala.

  Bu Nanxing was terrified. Upon learning that the Immortal Mandala could poison even Daluo Immortals, the supreme practitioner of the “crouch” path nearly packed his bags and fled.

  Lu Changkong’s previous experiments had been tolerable. Though toxic, Bu Nanxing could endure them.

  Even if poisoned, he wouldn’t die immediately.

  But this Immortal Mandala was different.

  It could kill even Daluo Immortals. How could he dare touch it? The most important rule of crouching was to never place oneself in danger. He had to uphold that.

  Yet when he timidly suggested to Lu Changkong that the world was vast and he wanted to see it,

  Lu Changkong earnestly held his hand and spoke to him all night about life.

  He instilled in him the idea that once they succeeded in cultivating the Immortal Mandala and produced a poison capable of killing Daluo Immortals,

  Would he still need to crouch?

  Then he would be the greatest in the world!

  Bu Nanxing was brainwashed. He vaguely felt it made sense. Crouching until the end, becoming invincible… wasn’t that the ultimate goal of the crouch path?

  So he stayed.

  But he still felt something was off.

  Ever since Lu Changkong began researching the Immortal Mandala seed,

  Bu Nanxing lived in constant fear. As Lu Changkong’s assistant, he worried every moment whether he would be poisoned to death by Lu Changkong’s minor toxins.

  The terrifying auras erupting from the void starry sky’s passage mouth made Lu Changkong pause.

  He looked up, glanced over.

  Taking a deep breath, he buried his head and continued researching.

  From the intensity of the auras, Lu Changkong could judge the ferocity of the battle in the Primordial Starry Sky.

  Even with his special poison physique, if he were caught in such a battle, he would be of no help to Lu—only a burden.

  All he could do was research the Immortal Mandala and absorb it with his poison body, advancing his physique.

  Then, with a wave of his hand, he could scatter deadly poison capable of killing Daluo Immortals.

  By then, no one in the world would dare bully his honest, simple son.

  His son should have been able to live as a carefree second-generation heir. Unfortunately, as his father, he had been incompetent, forcing Lu to bear burdens he shouldn’t have at his age.

  …

  The terrifying auras erupting from the void abyss had long drawn the attention of many powerhouses.

  Outside the abyss,

  The armies of the Netherworld were already stationed.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Many Five Phoenixes Immortals who hadn’t entered the Destiny Tower hovered in formation, guarding the area.

  Their expressions were grave. Their auras flared, signaling a terrifying battle was unfolding.

  The frontline battle was fierce. They could vaguely see waves of unmatched auras weaving into a massive net, as if trying to ensnare all of Five Phoenixes’ Golden Immortals.

  The Golden Immortals of Five Phoenixes were like moths caught in a spiderweb, unable to break free.

  Everyone desperately wanted to help, but they knew their strength was insufficient.

  All they could do was wait—for the battle to end, for news from the front.

  The nine city lords of the Netherworld transformed into massive figures, stationed outside the abyss.

  They sat upon their thrones, coldly watching the front.

  Powerhouses from every life star in the Five Phoenixes Universe also fixed their gazes on the passage in the abyss.

  Whether from the Heavenly Spirit Tribe or the former upper-realm saint clans,

  In this moment, they all hoped Five Phoenixes would survive.

  The years spent in the Five Phoenixes Universe had rekindled their joy in growing stronger. Compared to the despair and darkness of the Nine Heavens, life in Five Phoenixes was joyful. Their clans could grow and prosper.

  They had gradually come to identify with Five Phoenixes and wished to integrate into it.

  …

  In the Primordial Starry Sky,

  Terrifying killing intent illuminated the sky like blazing suns.

  Twenty Immortal-tier gods and demons—what a horrifying lineup?!

  Equivalent to twenty peak Emperors.

  Such power could easily destroy a first-grade high-martial world, shattering it completely.

  “Kill him!”

  “He fought an elemental god and demon—he must be exhausted! This is our chance!”

  “Twenty Immortal-tier attacking together—he has no escape!”

  The cold voices of the Immortal-tier gods and demons echoed through every corner of the Primordial Starry Sky.

  Though it was Ancient Emperor Hao’s alliance,

  Lu’s threat to them was immense.

  To have slain an adult elemental god and demon—that alone was terrifying!

  Moreover, the strange suppressive power emanating from Lu made them deeply wary!

  Boom boom boom!

  The simultaneous attacks of twenty Immortal-tier gods and demons made even the primordial stars tremble.

  Overwhelming battle cries surged forth.

  The Overlord, Tang Yimo, Mi Jia, and the others were resolute.

  Yet the immense pressure still made it hard to breathe.

  Tang Yimo gritted his teeth, eyes blood-red as he watched. The aura within him surged, as if it would break through the eighth meridian at any moment.

  Unleashing ultimate killing intent.

  The Overlord shouldered his axe and shield, glaring coldly, killing intent boiling.

  Mi Jia’s Extreme Dao Emperor Fist pushed forward, fearless of death.

  He had been reborn in Five Phoenixes. He was already content. Even if he died here, what was there to fear?

  At worst, he would return the life Five Phoenixes had given him!

  “Congratulations, Host, on elevating the Golden-Element Immortal Demon Body to perfection. You have gained qualification to comprehend the Gold-Origin Profound Meaning. Proceed with comprehension?”

  The moment Lu opened his eyes, a system prompt appeared.

  His expression remained calm, showing no joy or sorrow.

  Gold-Origin Profound Meaning?

  Lu’s brow lifted slightly.

  Perhaps it was a killing move derived from perfecting the Golden-Element Immortal Demon Body?

  Without further thought, he refused. Now wasn’t the time for comprehension.

  Lu sensed terrifying killing intent rolling toward him like heavenly thunder.

  All his escape routes seemed sealed in this moment.

  “Twenty Immortal-tier gods and demons…”

  The corners of Lu’s mouth curved slightly.

  This time, it was truly a bountiful harvest!

  From the spatial rift, Ancient Emperor Hao seemed to peer at Lu. His cold gaze carried doubt and indifference.

  He wanted to see how Lu would turn the tables in this desperate situation.

  Though Lu had previously outmaneuvered him with Shift and Swap to escape the encirclement,

  This time, with twenty Immortal-tier gods and demons attacking, it was a certain-death trap!

  “Kill!”

  Powerful divine fluctuations wove through the Primordial Starry Sky, forming a will capable of annihilating anyone below the Emperor realm.

  Lu gazed calmly.

  Innate Purple Qi wreathed his body. His golden robes and golden hair billowed.

  “The Golden-Element Immortal Demon Body has reached perfection…”

  “Time to test its power.”

  “Just how strong am I now?”

  Lu felt the terrifying power surging through him.

  The power of the God and Demon Hunter title spread invisibly.

  With his strength increased, the title’s power… had grown even stronger!

  Facing the onslaught of twenty Immortal-tier gods and demons,

  Lu’s lips curved.

  He slowly raised his hand. Endless golden light erupted from his palm—the power of the Gold-Origin!

  His palm pointed toward the leading Immortal-tier god and demon.

  Then clenched!

  The Immortal-tier god and demon’s expression changed drastically.

  He felt a golden palm suddenly appear around him, seizing him tightly!

  The god and demon roared in fury.

  He unleashed an attack that collided with the palm.

  Yet a violent explosion erupted. This Immortal-tier coughed up foul blood and was sent flying backward in dejection.

  A single palm from afar had severely wounded an Immortal-tier!

  Yet the remaining nineteen Immortal-tier gods and demons’ attacks rained down together.

  Boom!

  The area where Lu stood was instantly obliterated into dark void. Countless spatial turbulence surged, each strand carrying terrifying cutting power.

  Even a high-tier god and demon caught in it would be shredded.

  “Is he dead?”

  After that combined strike,

  The nineteen Immortal-tier gods and demons watched gravely.

  Lu’s strength had exceeded their expectations. Most importantly, the terrifying suppressive power emanating from him left every god and demon uneasy.

  Splash splash splash…

  Yet soon,

  The nineteen Immortal-tier gods and demons’ pupils shrank.

  They saw Lu within the spatial turbulence, wreathed in purple qi, radiating golden light like a blazing sun—dazzling and unstoppable.

  He gazed calmly at the Immortal-tier gods and demons.

  Innate Purple Qi could both attack and defend. The defense it provided gave Lu complete confidence.

  The silver wings behind him spread.

  In the next instant, his body shot out from the spatial turbulence, transforming into a streak of purple-gold light.

  His speed was blinding, streaking across the Primordial Starry Sky.

  “So fast!”

  This speed was like the ultimate velocity of the world.

  A flash of purple-gold light approached one of the Immortal-tier gods and demons.

  The gods and demons reacted instantly, unleashing attacks without hesitation.

  Boom boom boom!

  Nineteen gods and demons against one.

  They clashed in the sky. Lu, in his purple-gold form, fought nineteen alone without the slightest sign of weakness.

  From the spatial rift, Ancient Emperor Hao watched in shock.

  “This child’s cultivation advances too quickly…”

  Ancient Emperor Hao had to admit that Lu’s growth rate left him chilled.

  Could it be that the elemental god and demon had granted him immense benefits?

  If this continued, it wouldn’t be long before this child surpassed him!

  Far away,

  The Water Tribe Ancient Emperor watched in horror as Lu faced nineteen Immortal-tier gods and demons without faltering. Her graceful body trembled slightly.

  Lu Ping’an… had become this strong?!

  This level of power and cultivation was not inferior to Hao, who had been plotting in the rift for hundreds of thousands of years.

  Though she possessed Great Emperor strength, facing Lu Ping’an, she would likely be killed instantly.

  Suddenly,

  Ancient Emperor Hao’s voice rang in the Water Tribe Ancient Emperor’s ears.

  Her beautiful eyes narrowed.

  Her red lips pursed. Without hesitation, she closed her eyes and slowly spread her arms.

  In the next moment, her body trembled.

  When her eyes opened again, the deep blue had turned pitch black.

  Ancient Emperor Hao had possessed her.

  “Lu Ping’an…”

  Ancient Emperor Hao had originally not intended to possess the Water Tribe Ancient Emperor and act.

  But…

  Watching Lu fight nineteen Immortal-tier gods and demons without weakening, he felt a crisis—an ominous premonition.

  So he decided to act.

  Buzz buzz buzz…

  Formation words interwove. Above the possessed Water Tribe Ancient Emperor, a cauldron appeared.

  “The Myriad Pattern Cauldron!”

  The Water Tribe Ancient Emperor said coldly.

  She pointed.

  The Myriad Pattern Cauldron soared, as if it would crush the starry sky.

  Lu’s mind stirred slightly.

  He looked up at the Myriad Pattern Cauldron. Emotions flickered in his eyes.

  This cauldron… felt somewhat familiar.

  The number one imperial weapon of the Nine Heavens!

  Back then, Qi Liujia’s Six Armor Formation Sect inherited this very Myriad Pattern Cauldron…

  But Qi Liujia’s Myriad Pattern Cauldron was like a child’s toy compared to this one.

  He hadn’t expected that now, the Myriad Pattern Cauldron would become a supreme killing weapon, intent on suppressing him.

  “Hao has acted… everyone, suppress him together!”

  “This child has a great secret! That strange suppressive power against us gods and demons… if we uncover it, we may have a chance to return to the ‘Elemental Realm’!”

  The gods and demons’ eyes blazed red. They unleashed their full auras.

  Lu was too strong—strong enough to terrify them. But without that strange suppressive power emanating from him, Lu fighting nineteen alone would have been impossible.

  Thus, in their eyes, Lu’s greatest secret… must be that strange suppressive power!

  It was as if he were their natural predator!

  They were gods and demons born from the primordial chaos. For Lu to possess power that suppressed them, it must be related to some ancient secret!

  So they went mad!

  Boom boom boom!

  Terrifying attacks wove through the sky, shattering the void.

  At the Five Phoenixes passage mouth,

  Zhu Long, Tantai Xuan, Lu Jiulian, and the others unleashed their auras, guarding the passage and preventing the terrifying auras from seeping through.

  This was a battle between peak Emperors. If those auras penetrated the passage, countless cultivators would suffer!

  “So terrifying… this is the peak Emperor realm!”

  Tantai Xuan exhaled slowly, suppressing the heaviness and pressure in his heart.

  The gods and demons were too strong.

  Without Young Master Lu, Five Phoenixes wouldn’t even last one round!

  They too had to grow stronger—continuously stronger!

  “Young Master Lu seems to have created a Destiny Tower to aid cultivation. Perhaps we can also use it to break through…”

  “Once this is over, let’s go to the Destiny Tower.”

  Tantai Xuan said.

  The Overlord, Tang Yimo, and the others nodded.

  Then silence fell.

  They focused intently on the battle in the starry sky.

  Facing the crushing Myriad Pattern Cauldron,

  Lu frowned slightly.

  The silver blades behind him stacked. The Phoenix Feather Sword guided them, transforming into countless silver beams that streaked across the void, clashing with the Myriad Pattern Cauldron!

  Yet they were all repelled.

  The most severely injured Immortal-tier god and demon had recovered. The twenty gods and demons attacked once more. Enduring the pressure of Lu’s God and Demon Hunter title, they unleashed terrifying killing intent, like a tsunami intent on swallowing and annihilating Lu.

  Lu narrowed his eyes, staring at the Myriad Pattern Cauldron pressing down.

  It was forged with the Nine Character formation words as its skeleton and countless scattered formation words as its flesh and blood.

  But Lu was no stranger to formation word techniques.

  Looking at the Myriad Pattern Cauldron,

  A rather mad idea suddenly formed in Lu’s mind.

  Perhaps he could use formation words—with the Eight Trigrams formation words as the skeleton and countless formation words as flesh and blood—to forge the Sermon Platform!

  To manifest the Sermon Platform in the world!

  “You have the Myriad Pattern Cauldron.”

  “I have… the Sermon Platform.”

  Lu’s eyes blazed.

  But first, he needed to suppress these gods and demons.

  With a thought,

  The Innate Purple Qi wreathed around Lu surged wildly, forming a terrifying storm.

  Innate Purple Qi was Lu’s sharpest weapon against these gods and demons.

  All one hundred strands of Innate Purple Qi were unleashed without reservation.

  Splash splash splash!

  Five strands intertwined into icy chains that whipped out, binding an Immortal-tier god and demon with overwhelming force.

  One hundred strands formed twenty purple qi chains, binding all twenty gods and demons.

  The Immortal-tier gods and demons roared, trying to break free with their powerful physiques.

  Yet they were horrified to discover that even they—renowned for physical strength—could not shatter these purple qi chains!

  Realizing escape was impossible, they panicked and tried to flee.

  Splash splash splash…

  The chains clashed.

  Lu raised his hand. His palm gripped all twenty purple qi chains.

  Each chain was taut, as if he were walking dogs.

  Tantai Xuan, Lu Jiulian, the Overlord, and the others stared in stunned silence.

  Others walk dogs.

  Young Master Lu… walks gods and demons!

  And Immortal-tier gods and demons at that!

  Invincible Young Master Lu, dominating gods and demons with absolute dominance!

  “Attack quickly!”

  The twenty Immortal-tier gods and demons flushed with rage. Their wills surged, commanding their low-tier and high-tier subordinates to swarm Lu, hoping to distract him and give them a chance to break free.

  The gods and demons obeyed, charging madly toward Lu.

  Yet the power of Lu’s God and Demon Hunter title spread.

  His cold gaze swept over the low-tier and high-tier gods and demons—merciless.

  Boom!

  Their mental defenses collapsed instantly. Under the pressure of Lu’s gaze, they all dropped to their knees.

  At this moment,

  The Myriad Pattern Cauldron controlled by the possessed Water Tribe Ancient Emperor finally approached within a hundred feet of Lu, pressing down on him.

  Lu finally had time to look up at the Myriad Pattern Cauldron bearing down on him.

  With a thought,

  The Eight Trigrams Sermon Platform—with the Eight Trigrams formation words as its skeleton and countless formation words as its flesh and blood—coalesced above Lu’s head.

  “Go.”

  Lu’s divine sense surged. His eyes blazed.

  The Eight Trigrams Sermon Platform tore through the void.

  The Myriad Pattern Cauldron pressed down as if to crush the ages.

  The two collided in the Primordial Starry Sky!

  Like two ancient primordial stars smashing together, terrifying, blazing energy erupted.

  The possessed Water Tribe Ancient Emperor—Ancient Emperor Hao—saw his black pupils shrink.

  Lu gripped the twenty purple qi chains, walking the gods and demons like dogs. His eyes narrowed.

  Crack…

  A shattering sound rang out.

  The possessed Water Tribe Ancient Emperor trembled.

  In his black pupils’ reflection,

  The Myriad Pattern Cauldron, clashing with the Eight Trigrams Sermon Platform…

  Cracked!