Today, we charge toward Immortal-Martial.
Before Lu floated the chessboard. His palm conjured countless phantoms, as though gently caressing the vast mountains and rivers of the Five Phoenix Continent.
When Lu first reincarnated into the Five Phoenixes, what he inherited was a desolate low-martial world.
After years of relentless effort,
the Five Phoenixes advanced from low-martial to mid-martial, then overcame countless hardships and trials, crushed the ambitions of countless powerhouses, and stepped into high-martial.
At the high-martial level, it faced innumerable crises—even the assault of the Ninth Heaven’s Heavenly Dao. In the end, it birthed its own Heavenly Dao, shattered the Void Heaven, severed itself from the Ninth Heaven, and stood alone as an independent realm.
The difficulties it overcame were far greater than those of mid-martial.
Yet it overcame them all.
Not just Lu—every cultivator of the Five Phoenixes had persevered through these trials alongside it.
They grew together with the Five Phoenixes, rising from weakness to the mighty existence it was today.
Immortal-Martial…
Lu’s gaze blazed. White-hot light surged within his eyes, as though reflecting a starry sky filled with black holes.
He was truly curious—what kind of world was Immortal-Martial?
Was the Primordial Starry Sky an Immortal-Martial world?
Perhaps it was.
Regardless, Lu’s goal now was to lead the Five Phoenixes to achieve Immortal-Martial.
From a derivative high-martial world… to Immortal-Martial!
BOOM!
An overwhelming aura erupted from Lu.
He seemed to merge completely with the Five Phoenix Continent.
The phoenix within struggled, desperately trying to break free from the Heavenly Dao star that bound it. That binding was like shackles—preventing the phoenix from spreading its wings, from soaring freely across heaven and earth.
Lu felt it keenly: the moment the phoenix within the Heavenly Dao star broke free would be the day the Five Phoenixes achieved Immortal-Martial.
Lu’s eyes shone. The corners of his mouth curved upward.
He felt exhilarated. He felt boundless ambition.
He had waited so long for this moment.
And now, the chance had finally come.
But soon, Lu furrowed his brows slightly.
He could sense that once he entered the state of attempting Immortal-Martial ascension, he would be unable to divert his attention to external matters.
The moment the Five Phoenixes began its Immortal-Martial ascension, those in the Ninth Heaven would surely sense it.
He had no idea what they might do.
Moreover, the passage to the Primordial Starry Sky still posed a massive threat.
If high-tier Divine Demons—or even Immortal-tier Divine Demons—arrived during the ascension, it would be disastrous for the Five Phoenixes.
Lu exhaled slowly.
He withdrew his focus.
Ascending to Immortal-Martial was no easy task. To succeed, Lu had to give it his full attention.
Even ascending to high-martial had been fraught with danger and near-death experiences—let alone Immortal-Martial.
Besides, he trusted the current Five Phoenixes.
It was no longer the fragile world it once was.
His hand, conjuring countless phantoms above the chessboard, placed a piece. As his mind surged,
the grand momentum of the chess formation began to unfold.
Lu was curious: what exactly was the difference between high-martial and Immortal-Martial?
And this time, he seemed to have glimpsed it.
What was most important in high-martial?
Dao Rhyme. Dao Rhyme was the key to elevating the foundation of high-martial.
The Five Phoenixes had birthed its own Heavenly Dao—and that Heavenly Dao was the foundation of Immortal-Martial.
The Ninth Heaven might also qualify to attempt Immortal-Martial ascension, but there was a difference between its Heavenly Dao and the Five Phoenixes’. The Ninth Heaven’s Heavenly Dao had already entered a period of decline—its ambition far exceeded its ability.
The Five Phoenixes’ Heavenly Dao, nourished by the Dao Origins Lu had obtained, was now bursting with vitality.
Combined with the unity of all beings in the Five Phoenixes, this created the grand momentum for Immortal-Martial ascension.
BOOM!
The entire Origin Space trembled violently.
The Heavenly Dao star was like an egg.
And the phoenix within that egg was the bound Immortal Origin—only by breaking free could it soar freely.
At this moment, Lu had merged with the phoenix and was relentlessly striking against its bonds.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The vortex-like Origin Space began to churn wildly. Countless stars floated within.
With each violent impact, ripples of Dao Rhyme transformed into storms that swept outward.
Each sweep shattered one Origin Star.
It was as though dust was exploding outward.
The Origin Space… was faintly beginning to collapse!
Break and rebuild?!
But at this moment, Lu could no longer pay attention to such things.
His expression was solemn. In a state of unity between man and heaven, his primordial spirit surged wildly as he poured everything into achieving Immortal-Martial.
The little Yinglong, frightened by the anomaly, hurriedly fled the Origin Space and returned to the central island.
It patted its chest with its little claws, utterly terrified.
Too scary.
…
While Lu was attempting Immortal-Martial ascension,
the entire Five Phoenix Continent underwent dramatic changes.
The concentration of spiritual energy in heaven and earth rose at a visible speed.
Many mortals, bathed in this dense spiritual energy, were cured of all ailments and granted longer lives.
Cultivators felt it most clearly—their eyes flickered with countless insights.
“The world is undergoing a great transformation!”
Countless cultivators were ecstatic. Ancient records spoke of several great transformations in the Five Phoenixes—each one bringing immense fortune.
Countless powerhouses would rise in such moments. Seizing this opportunity meant seizing the era!
Buzz…
Cultivators looked up at the sky.
Vaguely, they could see countless profound patterns surging across the heavens. Dao Rhyme moved like divine dragons.
The rules of heaven and earth manifested. Chains of order leaped and danced.
Mortals trembled in awe. Cultivators shook with excitement.
The terrain of the Five Phoenixes began to change. Hidden paradises and blessed lands rose higher and higher, piercing the heavens like sharp swords wreathed in dense immortal qi.
Valleys cracked open, forming abyssal depths where thick immortal qi also floated.
Between some paradises and blessed lands, spiritual energy condensed into water, forming cascading waterfalls like white dragons hanging between mountain ravines.
These phenomena told the world: heaven and earth were about to undergo a monumental shift.
…
In the void starry sky,
the entire void starry sky was affected.
With rumbling sounds, the energy density on every life star increased dramatically.
Many powerhouses were astonished.
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Saint Realm powerhouses stood on their life stars, gazing toward the Five Phoenixes. Vaguely, they could see a divine phoenix slowly spreading its wings above the vast continent.
In the Abyss of Nothingness,
the various races of the Five Phoenixes guarding the passage sensed it. They turned back toward the Five Phoenixes.
“The Five Phoenixes is transforming again…”
“This transformation feels far grander than any before.”
“The Five Phoenixes is already a derivative high-martial world. What will it become after this transformation?”
The Hegemon and others murmured, then fell into stunned silence.
They couldn’t even imagine.
“It is an honor to witness. No matter how the Five Phoenixes changes, it remains our world.”
Kong Nanfei held his wine gourd, took a drink, and laughed heartily.
In this moment, he felt like composing a poem.
He glanced around.
Seeing the twelve Witch Kings, the Hegemon, Tang Yimo, and the others,
he shook his head and gave up the idea.
A bunch of brutes—they wouldn’t appreciate his poetry. Reciting now would be like playing the lute to a cow.
Inside the abyss,
the Golden Immortals had no time to feel these changes.
Because the passage—which had been quiet for a while—suddenly erupted with an incomparably terrifying and oppressive aura.
“Immortal… Immortal-Martial?!”
Within that massive eyeball burned astonishment and wild joy.
Tantai Xuan, Micah, and Lu Jiulian all felt immense pressure.
The Divine Demon beyond the passage was no longer one of the early-tier Divine Demons they had easily crushed before. It was likely high-tier—or even… Immortal-tier!
“Why has such a powerful Divine Demon appeared so suddenly?”
Micah’s expression changed.
A high-tier Divine Demon was equivalent to Great Emperor level.
Though they had completed three revolutions of their sea of destiny and were comparable to Great Emperors, truly fighting a Great Emperor in a life-or-death battle would still be difficult. Against stronger Great Emperors, they would be forced to retreat.
To truly contend with—or even suppress—a Great Emperor, they would need to reach Sixth-Revolution Golden Immortal.
“Because of the transformation happening in the Five Phoenixes.”
Tantai Xuan held the Life-and-Death Register. He turned to look toward the Five Phoenixes, his gaze deep yet gleaming with excitement.
Having grown alongside the Five Phoenixes from its weakest days to now,
Tantai Xuan knew full well the importance of this transformation—it was an upgrade in the world’s very level.
From low-martial to mid-martial to high-martial, and now this transformation…
Tantai Xuan exhaled slowly.
This transformation would bring many incredible changes.
But with opportunity came terrifying crisis.
Tantai Xuan’s gaze sharpened as he looked back toward the passage entrance.
The passage was now completely dominated by that terrifying Divine Demon.
The unabashed greed in its aura pressed down on Tantai Xuan, Micah, and Lu Jiulian.
“The Five Phoenixes is transforming?”
Micah reacted as well.
Though he had not grown up alongside the Five Phoenixes, he understood the importance of this moment.
“This is common…”
“Every great transformation of the Five Phoenixes attracts envious eyes seeking to pluck the fruit.”
Tantai Xuan gripped the Life-and-Death Register. His aura grew even more imposing, karma surging.
“At times like this, what we must do is kill them.”
“For those with ill intent, show no mercy—kill them dead!”
Tantai Xuan said coldly.
“The Five Phoenixes belongs not only to Young Master Lu, but to all of us—every living being!”
“The Five Phoenixes—we will guard it too!”
His words rang with unshakable resolve.
With a thought, his powerful primordial spirit surged outward like a whirlwind.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Outside the abyss,
the vast army of Netherworld Yin Soldiers stationed there received Tantai Xuan’s summons. Armor clanged as Yin Soldiers marched forth, charging into the abyss.
Lu Jiulian stood with his hands behind his back. His azure lotus robes fluttered. Countless azure lotuses spun around him.
Micah clenched his fists and grinned.
Indeed… joining the Five Phoenixes had been his wisest decision.
In hundreds of thousands of years in the Ninth Heaven, he had never even swung a fist.
In the short time since arriving in the Five Phoenixes, he had fought countless life-or-death battles.
“Guard the Five Phoenixes!”
Roar!
The Netherworld Yin Soldiers’ shouts exploded in the abyss.
Lu Jiulian raised his hand.
The immortals of the Ascended Realm boarded warships, their robes fluttering as they crossed the void and charged into the abyss.
The twelve Witch Kings laughed heartily. The Witch Race forces gathered behind them.
The Golden Crow Demon Saint glanced at the twelve Witch Kings, then raised his hand. The Demon Race army assembled in grand formation.
Gu Mangran drew a deep breath. His expression was grave, yet beneath it lay relief and familiarity.
“This is perhaps the essence of the Five Phoenixes… always testing life and death with madness.”
Gu Mangran smiled.
Nowadays, he no longer felt chest pains from shock.
He no longer needed divine herbs to calm himself.
Now, he fought once more for the Five Phoenixes.
BOOM!
It was as though a flood surged. The Sea Clan powerhouses roared.
Sima Qingshan, Bai Qingniao, and Nie Changqing—the newly ascended Golden Immortals—had seas of destiny swirling around them.
They hovered in the abyss, staring gravely toward the powerful being beyond the passage.
The Five Phoenixes was transforming.
And they were here to stop those who harbored ill intent toward it.
It seemed the united momentum of the Five Phoenixes’ cultivators had reached the ferocious being beyond the passage.
That massive eyeball suddenly vanished. In the next moment, it transformed into a gaping, blood-red maw.
An earth-shaking roar erupted from within, unleashing terrifying energy waves.
Buzz…
Lightning-like figures flashed toward them.
They were Divine Demons.
Early-tier Divine Demons poured through the passage. Though fear showed on their faces, the威势 of the powerful Divine Demon behind them forced them forward—they dared not retreat.
“They’re coming!”
Tantai Xuan’s eyes narrowed.
In the next moment, he swung the Life-and-Death Register.
Life-and-death qi surged forth, blasting the early-tier Divine Demons back out of the passage.
Micah’s body seemed to expand to ten thousand zhang, blocking the passage entrance. He punched again and again.
Each punch unleashed terrifying fist might, shattering space into voids.
Because the passage entrance had its limits, only early-tier Divine Demons could enter—and in limited numbers. Thus, Tantai Xuan and Micah alone were able to hold them back.
Beyond the passage entrance,
those sharp eyes revealed murderous intent—clearly dissatisfied with the result!
Thus, terrifying aura surged.
An early-tier Divine Demon was hurled into the passage entrance.
Then… it exploded!
The self-detonation of an early-tier Divine Demon unleashed terrifying energy waves.
Tantai Xuan and Micah’s expressions changed dramatically.
The explosive energy slammed into the passage entrance.
Crack…
The passage entrance tore wider, expanding slightly.
But even the self-destruction of an early-tier Divine Demon could not fully widen the passage—likely due to mysterious rules governing it.
Still, it had some effect.
The massive eyeball revealed wild excitement.
One early-tier Divine Demon after another was hurled forth and detonated at the passage entrance. Countless blood lights surged. Shattered Divine Demon corpses scattered everywhere.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Explosions rocked the passage entrance, shattering space again and again.
This was a terrifying barrage.
“So ruthless!”
“Aren’t these Divine Demons of the same race? How can they be so cruel to their own kind? They don’t even value their lives.”
Tantai Xuan and Micah gasped.
Not just them—
the cultivators of the Five Phoenixes all changed expressions.
The Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor, wrapped in black robes, watched the explosions and felt his heart sink slightly.
He had almost left the Five Phoenixes, only to sense the anomaly and return—never expecting the Divine Demons to launch such a terrifying assault.
Back when the Ninth Heaven’s Heavenly Dao opened, the Divine Demons had never been this insane.
What exactly was in the Five Phoenixes that attracted these Divine Demons so fiercely?
“The hierarchy among Divine Demons is strict. High-tier Divine Demons exert overwhelming suppression over early-tier ones. Only an Immortal-tier Divine Demon could command so many early-tier Divine Demons to throw their lives away without hesitation.”
The Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor spoke.
His words caused Tantai Xuan, Micah, and Lu Jiulian’s expressions to change drastically.
“You mean… an Immortal-tier Divine Demon exists beyond this passage?”
The Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor exhaled.
The Five Phoenixes faced the crisis of destruction.
Yet strangely, he felt no joy.
“Even if not Immortal-tier, it is at least a peak high-tier Divine Demon—one that has begun to touch Immortal power. Otherwise, it could not command countless early-tier Divine Demons to die. Such an existence… is not something you can resist.”
The black-robed man’s words weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts.
Immortal-tier—that was Peak Emperor realm.
Could they truly withstand such a being?
Zhu Long reappeared in the abyss. Her body radiated immense energy fluctuations.
Her small face was filled with stubborn determination.
“Block them.”
Zhu Long closed her eyes. She held the massive Innate Yin-Yang Grinding Disc. Like an autumn leaf—quietly beautiful—her eyelashes trembled. Her red lips parted, speaking two firm words.
They must be blocked.
Father was doing something extremely important.
They absolutely could not let these beings disturb Father’s great endeavor.
…
In the Ninth Heaven,
deep within the void rift,
terrifying aura surged, startling every ancient Great Emperor.
Of course, they soon sensed something unusual.
“The Five Phoenixes… what is the Five Phoenixes doing?”
“Impossible! This is a transformation—from derivative high-martial to something greater!”
“The Ninth Heaven couldn’t do it—how can the Five Phoenixes? Is this Lu Ping’an’s doing? Is he messing with our minds again?”
The ancient Great Emperors gasped at the Five Phoenixes’ transformation.
After all, for even the existence deep within the rift to lose control of its emotions, this transformation must be truly astonishing.
The Five Phoenixes was already an independent world not inferior to the Ninth Heaven.
If it transformed again and grew stronger… wouldn’t it surpass the Ninth Heaven?
What level lay beyond derivative high-martial?!
Perhaps a path beyond Emperor Realm would be born?!
And at the other end of the Abyss of Nothingness,
thick clouds surged like a thousand drifts of snow.
Then, a figure of light gradually condensed.
This was the Heavenly Dao of the Ninth Heaven—cold and emotionless—manifesting as a figure of light.
It gazed toward the other side of the abyss.
There…
The Heavenly Dao of the Five Phoenixes was transforming—undergoing a transformation it envied.
The world fell into dead silence.
A moment passed—or perhaps an eternity.
ROAR!
The Ninth Heaven’s Heavenly Dao let out an unwilling roar toward the Five Phoenixes on the other side of the abyss!
Within the void rift,
hearing the Heavenly Dao’s roar,
countless rules and orders descended, transforming into a boiling sea of rule blades.
From deep within the rift, an extremely powerful will surged.
“The Five Phoenixes will not succeed. Immortal-Martial… how could it be so easily achieved? This act has already drawn the attention of the Immortal-tier Divine Demon ‘Evil Eye.’ Rather than letting the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao be devoured by Divine Demons and become mere food, it would be better to merge it into the Ninth Heaven…”
“To attempt Immortal-Martial ascension, the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao must possess some special quality we do not yet understand.”
The calm voice carried gravity.
“The Heavenly Dao is so unwilling and unable to enter the Five Phoenixes alone. Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor—you will emerge ahead of time and carry the Heavenly Dao into the Five Phoenixes!”
BOOM!
As the words fell,
endless flames surged from the rift entrance.
A heaven-shaking laugh exploded across the sky.
Then, a ten-thousand-zhang fire giant stepped forth from the rift, gradually condensing into human form.
Clad in flame-crystal armor, its hair burned like fire.
Buzz…
The Heavenly Dao surged and fused into the Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor’s body.
The Fire Spirit Ancient Emperor’s aura soared.
Flames beneath his feet transformed into raging rivers.
He tore through the Abyss of Nothingness and charged inside.
…
In the Origin Space,
the Origin Space now resembled shattered glass—covered in cracks. A single misstep could cause it to collapse entirely.
Lu’s mind was taut. He was relentlessly breaking through.
It was like an extremely profound game of chess.
With every piece placed, rules scattered.
Buzz…
Lu opened his eyes. Gravity filled his gaze.
“The Nine Phoenixes finally couldn’t sit still… they’ve sent someone out ahead of time.”
Lu’s mouth twitched.
In the next moment, he raised his hand and waved gently.
The Heaven-Stealing Tower and the Phoenix Plume Sword transformed into streaks of light and shot out of the Origin Space.
On the central island,
Ning Zhao stood amid the peach grove. Her white skirt fluttered. Peach petals danced, brushing her black hair.
Suddenly, Ning Zhao sensed something.
The void shattered. A white jade pagoda emerged.
“Take the Heaven-Stealing Tower. Aid the abyss.”
Lu’s voice echoed.
Yi Yue appeared from the shadows. The blazing Phoenix Plume Sword coiled around her.
“Take the Phoenix Plume Sword. Aid the abyss.”
Lu’s voice sounded in her ear.
Ni Yu carried her black pot. The little Yinglong, lounging on the Origin Lake, was suddenly kicked like a ball and landed on Ni Yu’s head.
“Take this guy. Aid the abyss.”
Lu said.
Ning Zhao, Yi Yue, and Ni Yu—the three attendants—bowed.
“Understood.”
Then the three shot into the sky, transforming into streaks of light and vanishing between heaven and earth.
At the same time,
on the Five Phoenix Continent,
two figures—one black, one gray—rose into the sky and sped toward the abyss.
In the vast sea,
within the ancient tomb,
Bu Nanxing stood respectfully in a corner. He was very low-key—low-key enough that no one could tell he was a half-step Profound Immortal powerhouse.
Lu Changkong opened his eyes. In the distance lay the blackened corpse of the Scorpion Divine Demon.
At this moment, Lu Changkong’s aura was incomparably powerful and terrifying. He… had casually become an Emperor.
He had achieved Golden Immortal.
Moreover, he had ascended without any tribulation—calm and effortless.
This made Bu Nanxing even more respectful. Great Master was truly Great Master—even heavenly thunder had to give him some face.
“The Five Phoenixes is undergoing another transformation…”
Lu Changkong said slowly, hands behind his back.
“This transformation has attracted many envious eyes. Fan’er seems to be doing something very important… It seems, as his father, I should step forward as well.”
“Let the world know that the Young Master of White Jade Capital… has a father too.”
