Lake of Origin, Heart Island.
A gentle breeze stirred the lake into soft ripples. Everything felt peaceful and pleasant.
Suddenly—
Waves surged across the water. A giant whale’s roar boomed from the depths. Space itself tore open with a violent rip.
Lu Fan’s hand paused mid-move over the chessboard.
“Oh? The little guy’s finally out?”
From the torn void, a round, ball-like figure shot out like a cannonball, bouncing several times across the island before skidding to a halt.
Flesh wings unfurled. Sharp gusts swept outward. A terrifying primordial spirit pressure rolled across the island.
Little Yinglong—who had been tossed into Buzhou Peak for nearly a century of beatings—had returned!
He looked far more formidable now. Every dragon scale gleamed like forged steel, reflecting razor-sharp light. His dark-golden eyes churned with a thousand blades’ worth of killing intent.
ROAR!
The moment he landed on the island, Little Yingdragon threw his head back and unleashed a sky-shaking dragon roar.
The Sky-Reaching Chrysanthemums and Green-Fall Peaches swayed violently in the shockwave.
He was announcing his return in the most dramatic way possible.
Lu glanced over and smiled.
A hundred years of getting pummeled by Zhulong clearly worked wonders. If Little Yinglong had trained on his own, he wouldn’t have improved at all in a century.
All that little glutton did was eat and spray water…
“Back already? Go play somewhere. Stop yelling.”
BOOM!
Lu picked up a chess piece and placed it calmly.
BANG!
Heaven and earth spiritual energy detonated.
PFFT!
Little Yinglong was instantly flattened against the ground by overwhelming spirit pressure, his proud roar turning into pathetic whimpers.
Lu released the pressure. The little dragon sprang up like a spring-loaded toy and zipped straight to Lu’s shoulder, shrinking to palm-size as he landed.
Two big bumps swelled on his forehead, looking ready to pop.
“Not bad. You’ve grown quite a bit.”
Lu could feel the powerful aura rolling off him.
With the dragon blood pool, ancestral dragon qi, and all the resources piled onto him—if Little Yinglong hadn’t shown noticeable improvement, Lu would’ve rolled up his sleeves and beaten him personally.
Now, not only had he stepped into the Unity Realm, he was even close to condensing a true dragon soul.
For a Heavenly Dragon seed, condensing a dragon soul meant stepping onto the path of becoming a real dragon.
Little Yinglong puffed up proudly at his dad’s praise.
Then opened his mouth and shot a water arrow at Lu…
And that was the end of that.
A few minutes later, a bruised and swollen little dragon waddled around the island, looking like he’d lost a fight with a brick wall.
To his disappointment, the chubby pill-making girl was nowhere to be seen.
During all those years getting beaten on Buzhou Peak, the thing he missed most was Ni Yu’s pills.
Having pills to eat was heaven—especially since she produced them in bulk. He could eat one, throw one, eat one, throw one…
Now he was back, craving a proper feast, and… nothing.
Little Yinglong floated face-up in the Lake of Origin, golden dragon eyes filled with existential crisis.
No pills, and he still got beaten the moment he came home.
Why was his dragon life so hard?
Lu ignored the drama queen.
He looked toward the closing spatial rift.
Atop the distant peak stood a graceful young girl with closed eyes. Sensing Lu’s gaze, she bowed slightly, a shy smile on her lips.
Lu nodded. The rift sealed smoothly.
Zhulong had grown stronger too.
As expected of the child he was most proud of.
…
Ni Yu, of course, had no idea Little Yinglong was back.
On the blood-colored battlefield, the professional tournaments were in full swing.
Though only a warm-up for the true Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament, they had drawn countless eyes—from Five Phoenixes cultivators, Void Heaven wanderers, and even experts from other realms.
Three grand plazas had been erected.
The first rounds of the formation and artifact-refining tournaments were also wrapping up.
Li Sansui broke free from the illusion array without suspense. Her comprehension of formations, bolstered by Qi Liujia’s teachings and her time meditating on Lakeheart Isle, was exceptional.
Alu advanced as well. As Gongshu Yu’s prized disciple, his master wouldn’t have let him compete without confidence.
Both returned beaming—they had protected the Five Phoenixes’ origin dao essence.
Qi Liujia was pleased, though he kept his encounter with Si Tu Gui hidden. He didn’t want to burden the kids.
“The first round is over. Rest well,” he said.
“The second round’s timing depends on the Upper Realm envoy. And from what I can tell, it will likely be one-on-one duels. Stay sharp even while resting.”
The three nodded solemnly.
The fact that all three Five Phoenixes contestants had passed the first round caused a massive uproar.
No one had expected the only high-martial world born from the Void Heaven to not lose a single drop of origin essence.
Warships in the void began casting strange glances downward.
The brighter the Five Phoenixes shone, the more attention—and hostility—they attracted.
BOOM!
From the ancient warship, an attendant stepped forward, powerful aura unfurling.
His face was shrouded in mist, but Qi Liujia could feel eyes fixed on the Five Phoenixes contingent.
“The first round of the professional tournaments has concluded. All participants have three days to cultivate. In three days, the preliminary matches of the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament will begin—along with the second round of the professional tournaments.”
His voice boomed across the blood-colored battlefield and the entire Void Heaven.
Shock rippled through the crowd.
Normally, only the finals of the professional tournaments were woven into the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament.
This time, they were starting the cross-over from the second round?
Excitement surged.
The professional contests were interesting, but compared to pure combat, they were niche.
Not everyone understood pills, formations, or artifacts.
But battle?
Everyone understood battle.
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The attendant’s words spread far and wide.
The entire Void Heaven trembled.
Many participants in the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament had already arrived, waiting aboard their respective warships and spirit vessels.
Now, the real show was about to begin.
Qi Liujia’s expression grew heavy.
The second professional round being inserted into the grand tournament…
If the fights weren’t thrilling enough, complaints would flood in.
That meant the second round would be far more brutal than expected.
He glanced at Ni Yu, Li Sansui, and Alu, worry settling in his heart.
“Let’s return and prepare.”
The three nodded.
Even the new emperor of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty withdrew to the continent.
News of the upcoming intense battles sent the Five Phoenixes cultivators into a frenzy of excitement.
They would finally witness true experts from beyond their world.
How did the Five Phoenixes’ cultivation level compare?
…
On the ancient warship, the attendants began clearing the deck.
Powerful auras swept outward.
Everyone except the Five Phoenixes group was forcibly ejected from the blood-colored battlefield and pushed back to their warships.
Many frowned.
Was the Upper Realm deliberately going easy on the Five Phoenixes?
The Five Phoenixes cultivators also retreated—the pressure from those attendants was suffocating.
The attendants began constructing the grand tournament plaza.
Cyan orbs shot into the sky.
Then slammed down like cannonballs.
Massive cyan brick plazas rapidly formed, each brick gleaming with brilliant light.
The Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament plaza dwarfed the three professional ones.
Its importance was clear.
…
Five Phoenixes Continent.
Lake of Origin, Heart Island.
Qi Liujia led Ni Yu, Li Sansui, and Alu back to the island.
Lu Fan descended slowly from the White Jade Capital pavilion, white robes fluttering.
“Young Master.”
“Mission accomplished. Ni Yu, Sansui, and Alu all passed the first round,” Qi Liujia reported, a hint of pride in his voice.
How many worlds could claim that?
Countless high-martial worlds from the three major heavens—Pingyang, Blood Evil, and Yuanci—competed, not to mention the Upper Realm powers that skipped straight to the finals.
For three kids from the Five Phoenixes to advance in such fierce competition was no small feat.
Lu Fan nodded slightly.
The moment Ni Yu returned, a certain salted-fish-like little dragon floating in the lake perked up.
He shot toward her with a whoosh, landing on her head, tail swishing happily.
“Waa! Little Yellow! You’re back from your beating?!”
Ni Yu squealed in delight.
She reached into her pouch, grabbed a handful of pills, hesitated, put one back… then another… until she finally tossed a single beautiful Flower Gathering Pill to the dragon.
Little Yinglong swallowed it whole.
Then his face changed.
His dark-golden eyes went blank.
…Why wasn’t it sweet?!
Qi Liujia sent Li Sansui and Alu off to cultivate, then walked slowly with Lu Fan around the island.
“In three days, the grand tournament begins…” Qi Liujia said gravely, hands behind his back.
“Young Master, have you sensed anything strange in the Five Phoenixes lately? Any outsiders trying to sneak in?”
Lu Fan smiled, twirling a peach blossom between his fingers.
“Just some flies. I turned them into something useful.”
Qi Liujia blinked.
Turned them… into something useful?
Lu Fan glanced at him, smiled, and offered no explanation.
“Anyway, the grand tournament is coming. Gather all the participants. Also…”
Qi Liujia bowed and withdrew.
Lu Fan watched him leave, leaning back in his Thousand-Blade Chair among the peach blossoms, fingers tapping the armrest.
“Old Qi really cares for the Five Phoenixes. But maybe because his previous world was destroyed, he’s overly cautious now.”
He chuckled. Some mindsets needed time to change.
His gaze swept over the system panel. Spiritual energy was still bottlenecked, but Lu Fan wasn’t worried.
When it was time to break through, it would happen.
Then he remembered the system’s [Glory Mission]—to make the entire Five Phoenixes feel pride and purpose through this tournament.
An idea formed.
“Ning Zhao.”
A white dress fluttered as Ning Zhao appeared gracefully.
“Young Master.”
Even after a century, her beauty remained untouched—now a Unity Realm expert with a vastly extended lifespan.
“Go to the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty,” Lu Fan said. “The Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament will be combat-focused. Have the new emperor bring the imperial army to the blood-colored battlefield to observe and learn.”
“Also spread word throughout the cultivation world—this kind of battle is rare. They may gain enlightenment just by watching.”
Ning Zhao blinked in surprise.
She hadn’t expected Young Master to open the event to everyone.
A gentle smile curved her lips. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Yes, Young Master.”
Then she vanished in a streak of light.
After she left, Lu Fan’s eyes gleamed faintly.
He looked up at the sky, fair face calm.
He could sense powerful, oppressive auras lurking beyond the Void Heaven, watching the Five Phoenixes.
“Why hold the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament in the Five Phoenixes?”
“To drain all our origin dao essence?”
The corner of Lu Fan’s mouth lifted—cold and sharp.
The Five Phoenixes’ dao essence was the foundation of its growth.
Anyone who tried to touch that foundation was touching his foundation.
Lu Ping’an made a mental note.
…
Qi Liujia went to gather the tournament participants.
Ning Zhao descended upon the imperial capital of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty.
The new emperor personally led his officials to greet her—this was his first direct contact with someone from White Jade Capital.
White Jade Capital was legend. Its mysterious lord was revered as the number one cultivator of the Five Phoenixes.
No one knew how strong he truly was.
Treating him like a god was never wrong.
Ning Zhao relayed Lu Fan’s message.
The emperor’s face lit up. He immediately vowed to bring 100,000 troops to the blood-colored battlefield to observe.
Ning Zhao nodded and left, heading to Tianji Peak to have Lü Mudui send messages via Heavenly Secret Pigeons.
In just three days, the entire Five Phoenixes cultivation world erupted.
Few knew much about the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament.
But when Young Master Lu himself commanded them to come watch, saying they might gain enlightenment from the battles?
Every sect, every clan, every rogue cultivator prepared to go.
…
Western Liang, Dongyan River.
The river roared, spring approaching. Ice was melting.
Overlord stood with hands behind his back, robes fluttering, staring at the rushing waters, lost in thought.
“My lord.”
Luo Mingsang stepped out from the main tent, voice soft.
“This battle… please be careful. This Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament is no ordinary event.”
“Recently, strange phenomena have appeared across the Five Phoenixes—primordial spirit statues rising from the ground. That means many outsiders have tried to invade and were slain by Young Master Lu. So many experts spying on us… combined with this tournament…”
“No matter what, my lord, be careful.”
Overlord nodded slowly. An aura of devouring mountains and rivers erupted from him.
“This king is, after all, a cultivator of the Five Phoenixes. Emperor Tantai Xuan once said: Those who offend Great Xuan will be executed without mercy.”
“The same applies to the Five Phoenixes.”
“Whoever invades us—kill.”
His final word carried terrifying pressure.
BOOM!
The Dongyan River exploded into thousands of water columns.
He gently touched Luo Mingsang’s face. In the distance, Qi Liujia and the others waited.
Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, Tang Yimo, Jiang Li, and more…
Overlord laughed and stepped forward. The earth trembled with each stride.
…
A small farmhouse courtyard.
“Big Sister Chi Lian, will Uncle Jiang be fighting in this Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament?”
Bai Qingniao scratched Little Phoenix Nine’s fluffy belly. The little bird’s eyes narrowed into happy slits.
In the yard, Little Phoenix One strutted proudly with his chicks, bullying the normal chickens.
Chi Lian swayed over, leaning against the railing.
“According to Tianji Pavilion, the Lord of the Martial Emperor City, Young Master Tianxu, Master Ye of the Absolute Blade Sect, and the Spring and Autumn Empress of the Qian Female Palace will join Lord Jiang Li in the team battle.”
Bai Qingniao’s pale-golden eyes flickered with firelight.
“Uncle Jiang excels at military formations. With him leading, the team battle will be perfect.”
“Sister Chi Lian, let’s go watch.”
Chi Lian, who had been listting, suddenly perked up, eyes shining.
…
Atop a snow-capped mountain.
Kong Nanfei stretched lazily.
Behind him, Meng Haoran, seated in meditation and absorbing righteous qi like a torrent, opened his eyes slightly.
“Teacher, are we going to watch the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament?”
“It’s the first real contact between the Five Phoenixes and the outside worlds. And… don’t you feel something off about this tournament?”
Kong Nanfei shook out his tattered scholar’s robe.
Beneath his scruffy beard, sharp eyes gleamed.
“When the Five Phoenixes became a high-martial world, we faced countless tribulations and invasions. Now they suddenly hold this so-called grand tournament?”
“Their intentions are obvious.”
“Plus, a few days ago, another primordial spirit statue appeared at the foot of the mountain—one of those fallen experts, bearing Young Master Lu’s sword intent. Without a doubt, a massive conspiracy hides beneath this event.”
“As scholars of the Five Phoenixes, how can we sit by and do nothing?”
With hearty laughter and the sound of reading aloud, Kong Nanfei and Meng Haoran soared into the sky toward the blood-colored battlefield.
…
Southern Prefecture, mountain path.
After fresh rain, the empty mountain air was crisp.
In a bamboo tower, Sima Qingshan finished a painting and hung his brush.
An Miaoyu, still wearing her red cloak, folded a patched cyan robe into a book box, added a few scrolls of paintings, then looked at the figure by the window.
“Master, I’m ready.”
Sima Qingshan turned and smiled.
“Then let’s go. Young Master Lu has called all cultivators to witness this battle. We mustn’t miss it.”
An Miaoyu nodded gently, took a bamboo umbrella, and stepped out with him.
…
North Luo Lake.
Nie Changqing stood in a straw raincoat and conical hat, Dragon Slayer at his waist, eyes closed.
Splash.
Nie Shuang walked across the water without causing a ripple.
“Father, the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament is about to begin. Aren’t you going to watch?”
“I can’t believe they didn’t invite you to compete.”
Nie Shuang frowned, now tall and imposing.
“I am a disciple of White Jade Capital. Without the Young Master’s word, how could I casually join?”
“Still… let’s go watch.”
“The Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament… Heh. Back when enemies surrounded the Five Phoenixes, now they hold some grand tournament? Their goal is clear.”
Nie Changqing opened his eyes. Blade intent surged, as if slicing the lake in half.
…
Three days passed in a flash.
One corner of the blood-colored battlefield.
At one end of the massive tournament plaza, 100,000 armored soldiers of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty stood in perfect formation, radiating iron and blood.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Their synchronized march shook the earth.
From the void, countless gazes looked down with faint smirks.
To Unity Realm experts, mortal armies were nothing.
BOOM.
On command, the entire army sat in perfect unison, facing the plaza.
Five Phoenixes cultivators streaked through the sky, arriving one after another.
They weren’t stupid. They all sensed something wrong.
Their auras merged, forming a silent storm.
In that moment, the entire Five Phoenixes seemed to become one.
From the ancient warship, a faint voice drifted out.
“Interesting…”
The attendant at the bow looked at the unified aura of the Five Phoenixes, lips curling beneath the mist in disdain.
“So many spectators… just to watch the Five Phoenixes fall?”
More and more warships gathered beyond the heavens.
Nearly every qualified high-martial world had arrived.
Even the Little Thunder Buddha World of Pingyang Heaven sent spirit boats carrying shadowy Buddhist figures.
Saint Master Tuoba and Saint Master Qingling also waited with their teams.
BOOM!
From the ancient warship, the attendant rose into the air, robes fluttering, hovering above the battlefield.
A powerful aura erupted from the ship.
An ancient mirror was tossed out by the mysterious Upper Realm envoy.
The mirror radiated ancient energy. Within it, origin dao essences from countless worlds coiled like divine dragons.
The attendant rolled up his sleeve, tapped the mirror lightly.
Two beams of light shot out.
Lake of Origin.
Lu Fan’s brow arched.
He felt the Five Phoenixes’ origin tremble slightly.
What was that mirror?
It could actually affect a world’s origin dao essence?
The next moment, he saw—
One beam projected the phantom of the Five Phoenixes.
The other revealed a crescent-moon-shaped world.
Uproar exploded among the warships.
The very first match of the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament…
The Five Phoenixes had been drawn.
And there was no attempt to hide the targeting.
The attendant unleashed his full aura—Tribulation Transcendent pressure roared outward, shaking the very laws of the Void Heaven.
“The Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament—first battle.”
“Void Heaven, Ninth-grade Five Phoenixes Small World…”
“Versus…”
“Blood Evil Heaven, Seventh-grade Star-Moon Small World.”
