BOOM!

  The unstoppable assault slammed into the eight-colored Wrath Lotus.

  The lotus contracted violently, like a beating heart—squeezing and releasing. Terrifying energy waves erupted from within it.

  Ancient Emperor Hao’s attack struck at the same moment. The collision of two forces was like an avalanche roaring down a vast mountain peak—earth-shaking, apocalyptic!

  Every ancient Great Emperor unleashed their immense power, forming protective shields around their bodies.

  As Ancient Emperor Hao’s strike and Lu’s eight-colored Wrath Lotus exploded against each other,

  the entire rift was swallowed by blinding light.

  It was as though everything had fallen into utter silence.

  When an explosion reaches its peak, sound vanishes.

  Even time seems to slow.

  Space shattered. The massive eight-colored lotus spun, tearing the rift apart. Black voids appeared everywhere, making the space look like shattered glass.

  The raging storm swept outward, causing upheavals across the entire Ninth Heaven.

  BANG! BANG! BANG!

  In the Ninth Heaven,

  rifts cracked open.

  Like mouths torn wide by giant hands, countless streams of energy poured out. The rifts stretched longer and longer, spanning billions of miles.

  The cataclysmic explosion surged like a tsunami—unstoppable.

  Countless rules of heaven and earth began to stir.

  Even the Heavenly Dao of the Ninth Heaven rushed to the scene, casting down a powerful barrier to seal and protect the area around the rift.

  The explosion lasted an unknown amount of time.

  All living beings in the Ninth Heaven trembled, as though the end of the world had arrived.

  A massive chasm stretched across the heavens—like an abyss of the dead.

  Finally, as the energy slowly receded and the rifts began to heal,

  the interior of the rift lay in ruins. Shattered space caused chaotic currents to surge.

  As the energy gradually dissipated, the ancient Great Emperors—shrouded in haze—exhaled in relief.

  The eight-colored Wrath Lotus had been so terrifying that they hadn’t dared breathe.

  Silence reigned among the ancient Great Emperors.

  Yet the air inside the rift carried the sharp scent of gunpowder—and the burning rage in their hearts.

  “Lu Ping’an… that bastard is truly detestable…”

  “He actually hid an attack inside an early-tier Divine Demon’s body—caught us completely off guard.”

  “This was revenge. We opened the Primordial Starry Sky passage, exposing the Five Phoenixes to the calamity of Divine Demons. So Lu Ping’an retaliated against us.”

  “That bastard is messing with our minds again!”

  The ancient Great Emperors spoke, their voices thick with fury.

  The rift was in chaos. Their appearances were somewhat disheveled.

  From deep within the rift, powerful primordial spirit fluctuations spread.

  “This Divine Demon is dead.”

  “Lu Ping’an did this on purpose. Why exactly ten? What is the mystery behind it?”

  The powerful fluctuations carried confusion.

  No matter how much he thought, he couldn’t understand.

  The explosion of the eight-colored Wrath Lotus had indeed been terrifyingly destructive.

  But this was the void rift—the home turf of the ancient Great Emperors.

  Lu’s actions had only caused them slight trouble.

  No ancient Great Emperor had been killed.

  They were not so fragile as to be easily obliterated.

  Most importantly, Lu’s eight-colored Wrath Lotus had been aimed at Ancient Emperor Hao. The majority of the explosion’s power had been borne by him.

  Of course, while the explosion hadn’t caused major damage,

  the psychological impact it left was profound.

  Lu Ping’an… really knew how to get under people’s skin.

  “This Divine Demon still died in the end. What changes will this bring to the Five Phoenixes?”

  A calm voice drifted from deep within the rift.

  “Lu Ping’an… what exactly are you trying to do?”

  Soon, the voice fell silent.

  The Divine Demon he had brought back had already been annihilated—its body reduced to nothing.

  Lu’s eight-colored Wrath Lotus had approached Peak Emperor power.

  Even the incredibly tough body of an early-tier Divine Demon could not withstand a Peak Emperor-level attack without being destroyed.

  A high-tier Divine Demon might have left some remains.

  Suddenly,

  an ancient Great Emperor spoke from within the rift.

  “Should we continue opening the passage connecting the Primordial Starry Sky and the Five Phoenixes?”

  His words caused the atmosphere in the rift to turn eerie.

  Because this was a difficult decision.

  Open it or not?

  If they opened the passage, the Divine Demons that entered would become nourishment for the Five Phoenixes.

  If they didn’t open it, the Five Phoenixes would face no threat and could develop peacefully.

  Neither outcome was what the ancient Great Emperors wanted.

  Lu Ping’an’s mind games had left them in a dilemma.

  After a long silence,

  powerful primordial spirit fluctuations slowly spread from deep within the rift.

  “Open it.”

  “Lu Ping’an only needs ten Divine Demons. Once the passage entrance tears wide enough, the Five Phoenixes will face high-tier Divine Demons—even Immortal-tier Divine Demons.”

  “Right now, Lu Ping’an still lacks the strength to resist an Immortal-tier invasion.”

  The calm voice echoed.

  …

  In the Abyss of Nothingness,

  everything returned to silence.

  The impact of the Golden Immortal tribulations was far less than that caused by the Divine Demons.

  After the thunder receded, the abyss returned to pitch-black darkness.

  The Five Phoenixes had gained three more Golden Immortal powerhouses—a great blessing for the entire world.

  The Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor, cloaked in black robes, prepared to leave.

  He did not want to draw attention. He had acted in this battle, though no one had questioned him. Now that the fighting was over, someone might ask about his identity.

  But just as the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor was about to depart,

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  the sealed passage to the Primordial Starry Sky reopened.

  The Nine-Character array runes forced it wide.

  Beyond the passage, the ancient and distant Primordial Starry Sky appeared before everyone.

  “We will stand guard here.”

  “If any Divine Demons enter, we can delay them for a time.”

  Tantai Xuan sat before the passage, clutching the Life-and-Death Register.

  Lu Jiulian and Micah also rose into the air. Three Third-Revolution Golden Immortals at Great Emperor level guarding the passage—it was foolproof.

  Moreover, having just broken through, they were eager for powerful Divine Demons to arrive.

  That way, they could fight to their heart’s content and consolidate their cultivation.

  The cultivators who had relaxed moments ago now felt pressure once more. The reopening of the Primordial Starry Sky passage was not good news for the Five Phoenixes.

  “This passage will continue to widen over time. Eventually… high-tier Divine Demons, even Immortal-tier Divine Demons, will descend…”

  The Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor couldn’t help but speak up with a warning.

  Tantai Xuan, Lu Jiulian, Micah, and the others turned to look.

  Who was this person?

  The Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor, wrapped in his black robe, regretted speaking the moment the words left his mouth.

  Why couldn’t he keep quiet?

  He and the Five Phoenixes were enemies. Why should he care about their survival?

  His relationship with Lu Ping’an was terrible.

  He wished Lu Ping’an would be torn apart by Divine Demons!

  The Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor snorted coldly. He told himself his warning was only for the sake of the mortal little princess.

  “Just a casual remark. Believe it or not.”

  With that, he transformed into a streak of light and vanished.

  Micah narrowed his eyes. His Great Emperor aura surged as he considered stopping the black-robed figure—he vaguely felt a sense of familiarity from him.

  But in the end, he gave up.

  The black-robed man’s warning had clearly been given in good faith.

  If he acted now, it would be unreasonable.

  “For the time being, this passage shouldn’t open too widely. But to be safe—even early-tier Divine Demons entering would be a crisis for the Five Phoenixes… We should stand guard here.”

  Tantai Xuan said.

  “Besides, we’ve now reached Third-Revolution Golden Immortal and hold suppression over early-tier Divine Demons. If more early-tier ones arrive… we’ll suppress them. Let the quasi-Emperors of the Five Phoenixes use them as training targets and help birth new Golden Immortals.”

  The moment this idea arose, everyone’s fighting spirit soared.

  Zhu Long did not stay.

  Together with the other newly ascended Golden Immortals, she returned to the Five Phoenixes with the Divine Demon corpses.

  These corpses were supreme refining materials—capable of forging treasures.

  Outside the abyss,

  all Divine Demon avatars had been slaughtered.

  Not a single one had infiltrated the Five Phoenixes.

  In this battle, the entire Five Phoenixes had mobilized.

  Demons, witches, humans, the Sea Clan, the living beings on life stars beyond the continent, and even the former saint clans—all had come to aid the Five Phoenixes.

  This battle had united the will of the Five Phoenixes.

  …

  At the Origin Lake, on the central island,

  Lu leaned back in his Thousand-Blade Chair.

  The corners of his mouth curved upward.

  He had no idea if the “gift” he left for Ancient Emperor Hao would bring joy.

  Regardless, Lu felt quite pleased.

  After all, the other side had gone to great lengths to send him ten Divine Demons. If Lu showed no appreciation, it would be impolite.

  His fingers lightly tapped the armrest.

  The central island returned to tranquility.

  Ning Zhao poured wine for Lu. The liquid entered his mouth, releasing rich fragrance.

  On the island, the petrified body of the snake-haired Divine Demon stood frozen in terror. Ni Yu was inspecting it up and down.

  “Throw this snake-haired Divine Demon statue into the vast sea.”

  “Though it’s only a Divine Demon corpse, the profound meaning it contains can grant cultivators great insight.”

  “At least it’s not entirely useless.”

  Lu said.

  Yi Yue appeared from the shadows, responded, and carried the statue away across the sea.

  As for where she would throw it, Lu paid no further attention.

  “Young Master, I will enter seclusion for a while.”

  “Guard me.”

  Lu said.

  Ning Zhao’s gaze sharpened. She drew her Innate Spiritual Treasure—the golden longsword. Her aura soared.

  Having stayed by Lu’s side, Ning Zhao’s cultivation had grown silently.

  She now possessed Profound Immortal strength.

  Ni Yu, meanwhile, was deeply hidden—possessing quasi-Emperor cultivation. But her combat power was slightly weaker.

  After all, she was only an alchemist.

  Lu returned to the pavilion.

  Finally, on the system panel,

  Divine Demons slain reached (10/10). The task was perfectly completed.

  Clearly, the Divine Demon taken by Ancient Emperor Hao had successfully detonated.

  What kind of “surprise” the eight-colored Wrath Lotus had brought to the ancient Great Emperors, Lu did not know.

  Of course, Lu also felt some regret. He had hoped to use this opportunity to glimpse the secrets deep within the rift.

  Whatever could make the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor despair to the point of self-destruction—it made Lu’s curiosity itch.

  BOOM!

  Suddenly, Lu raised his hand.

  Ten Innate Divine Demon Seeds floated up, radiating faint light.

  Each seed represented a rule and order. Vaguely, distorted Divine Demon faces seemed to writhe within.

  “Begin refining the Divine Demon Seeds…”

  The system prompt appeared before Lu’s eyes.

  Refinement in progress…

  “Congratulations, Host, for completing the special task: Refine Innate Divine Demon Seeds (10/10).”

  The system prompt flashed.

  Lu narrowed his eyes slightly.

  “Innate Divine Demons born at the dawn of chaos are favored by rules. Each possesses immense power.”

  “Congratulations, Host, for obtaining the rewards: Title [Divine Demon Hunter], North冥 Fishing Rod, Dao Origin ×2.”

  The system prompts continued to flash before Lu.

  Lu, who had been looking forward to the task rewards, froze slightly.

  “A title? There’s even a title?”

  Lu was speechless.

  [Divine Demon Hunter]… it sounded a bit embarrassing.

  “Title [Divine Demon Hunter]: Special reward. Grants suppression against Innate Divine Demons. The stronger the Divine Demon, the weaker the suppression.”

  The system’s explanation made Lu narrow his eyes.

  Suppression against Innate Divine Demons?

  Though the title sounded shameful, its effect was excellent.

  Divine Demons were ranked—high-tier, Immortal-tier, and above Immortal-tier were those comparable to Great Luo Immortals.

  With Lu’s current strength, if a Great Luo Immortal-level Divine Demon appeared,

  even with the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao’s blessing, he might not be able to win.

  At that point, the Five Phoenixes would face the crisis of destruction.

  That was something Lu refused to allow.

  Now, with this title… perhaps if a Great Luo Immortal-level Divine Demon truly appeared, he could resist it.

  Lu turned his attention to the second reward.

  Buzz…

  Light flashed. Soon, Lu found himself holding… a purple fishing rod.

  Yes—a fishing rod like those used by fishermen.

  “This rod would be great for smacking people…”

  Lu swung it. Each swing shattered the void with explosive force.

  “North冥 Fishing Rod: Innate Spiritual Treasure. Can be used to fish for unique Indestructible Divine Demons in the starry sky.”

  The system’s introduction left Lu slightly stunned.

  So this rod really was for fishing.

  And it was for fishing in the starry sky…

  “Fish for unique Indestructible Divine Demons?”

  Lu narrowed his eyes. The words “Indestructible” caught his special attention.

  After all, he himself possessed the Indestructible Demon Body, which greatly enhanced his strength.

  Were Indestructible Divine Demons related to his Indestructible Demon Body?

  Lu sat in his Thousand-Blade Chair, slowly stroking the fishing rod.

  This time’s rewards seemed to reveal quite a few clues.

  Faintly, Lu sensed that the system had some mysterious connection to the Primordial Starry Sky.

  “Dao Origin is the system’s term. The Divine Demons that invaded the Five Phoenixes also spoke of devouring Heavenly Dao Dao Origin…”

  Lu exhaled slowly.

  The system had always been shrouded in mystery to him.

  Now, it felt as though the fog was gradually lifting.

  The Primordial Starry Sky… must have some connection to the system.

  Lu stored the North冥 Fishing Rod. Like the Heaven-Stealing Tower, this Innate Spiritual Treasure had no special energy fluctuations, but its function was frightening.

  “Unique Indestructible Divine Demons… perhaps they can help with the Indestructible Demon Body?”

  “It seems after the Five Phoenixes ascends to Immortal-Martial, I’ll need to find an opportunity… to fish in the starry sky.”

  Lu pondered.

  As for the final reward—Dao Origin ×2—it held extraordinary significance for Lu.

  “Two Dao Origins…”

  Lu held two balls of light in his palm, excitement stirring in his heart.

  He exhaled slowly.

  Lu entered the Origin Space.

  A vast and colossal Heavenly Dao star hung in the Origin Space.

  The little Yinglong lay atop it, yawning.

  The Dao Rhyme had been refined once more.

  It was bored again.

  Moreover, with the continued refinement of Dao Rhyme, even the little Yinglong no longer knew the extent of its own strength.

  Seeing Lu appear, the little Yinglong immediately became excited.

  Lu patted its head and placed it on his shoulder.

  Then, with a flick of his finger,

  the two Dao Origins shot forth.

  BOOM!

  The phoenix nurtured within the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao star spread its wings.

  In the next moment, it let out a resounding cry and devoured the two Dao Origins.

  BOOM!

  When the Dao Origins were fully absorbed, immense energy immediately surged and released—a terrifying storm of Dao Rhyme.

  It was as though quantity had finally turned into quality.

  The phoenix within the Heavenly Dao star kept spreading its wings, flapping them.

  The light grew brighter and brighter, more and more blinding.

  Finally, it formed an incredibly powerful energy storm that swept outward.

  Hm?

  Lu’s eyes suddenly lit up.

  It was beginning.

  He stared at the phoenix within the Heavenly Dao star—an entity formed by interwoven rules.

  Its resounding cry continued to echo.

  The little Yinglong lay on Lu’s shoulder, flapping its fleshy wings, staring at the existence within the star.

  “Immortal-Martial…”

  The corners of Lu’s mouth curved upward.

  Just as expected—like a bottle already filled to the brim. One more drop caused the water to overflow.

  …

  In the Ninth Heaven,

  dust from the explosion’s aftermath still rolled through the void rift.

  Deep within the rift,

  a pair of eyes seemed to gaze across an abyss so dark it devoured even light—staring at the Five Phoenixes on the other side.

  He desperately wanted to know what exactly Lu Ping’an was trying to do.

  Why did the death of exactly ten Divine Demons bring such changes to the Five Phoenixes?

  He couldn’t figure it out.

  He could only watch the changes in the Five Phoenixes to unravel the mystery in his heart.

  Suddenly!

  Deep within the void rift,

  terrifying aura erupted—like a suppressed volcano unleashing light and heat without warning.

  All the ancient Great Emperors in the rift were startled and looked toward the depths in confusion.

  Deep within the rift,

  the silence was suffocating.

  At its most oppressive moment…

  a hoarse, shocked voice rang out.

  “No… impossible!”

  “Lu Ping’an… who exactly… are you?!”

  …

  In the Abyss of Nothingness,

  at the passage,

  Tantai Xuan, Micah, and Lu Jiulian—three Third-Revolution Golden Immortals—sat in meditation.

  Perhaps the death of the ten Divine Demons had placed immense pressure and threat on the Divine Demons beyond the passage.

  Even though the passage had been open for so long,

  no more Divine Demons had crossed through.

  Tantai Xuan and Micah both felt a slight relief.

  Perhaps the black-robed man’s warning had been an exaggeration.

  Suddenly,

  the three of them—who had been sitting cross-legged in the void—snapped their eyes open.

  They stared fixedly beyond the passage.

  Deadly silence.

  Beyond the passage lay the distant, ancient Primordial Starry Sky.

  Everything was calm. Beautiful stars twinkled in the starry expanse.

  Then,

  in the gaze of Tantai Xuan, Micah, and Lu Jiulian,

  the passage entrance was suddenly filled by a massive bloodshot eyeball.

  Within that eye burned madness, excitement, and endless greed!

  “Immortal-Martial… Immortal-Martial Dao Origin!”

  …

  In the Origin Space,

  Lu smiled—as though he had figured something out. His mind opened wide.

  He took out the Spirit-Pressure Chessboard.

  He placed it on his lap.

  On the chessboard, faint light shimmered. Patterns of light wove together, forming images of the mountains and seas of the Five Phoenix Continent.

  One sleeve rolled up, one hand picked up a piece. He waved it above the board, and countless phantoms appeared.

  Snap!

  He placed the piece at the Heavenly Origin position.

  Light surged along the chessboard’s lines, crisscrossing and spreading.

  In the next moment, Lu’s eyes were engulfed in endless brilliance, turning pure white.

  Lu looked up.

  Vaguely, he felt as though he had merged with the phoenix within the Heavenly Dao star.

  Bound by the Heavenly Dao star.

  And what he needed to do… was break those bonds.

  The day the bonds were broken

  would be the day the Five Phoenixes achieved Immortal-Martial.

  At this moment, today,

  the Five Phoenixes charges toward Immortal-Martial!