On the cyan-brick plaza, demonic qi surged and coalesced into a tall, mysterious figure.

  Cloaked in black robes that billowed at the hem, it stood with its back to the world.

  Utterly detached.

  And when that figure turned its head, heaven and earth seemed to collapse.

  PFFT!

  The Star-Moon Saint Lord’s mind went blank. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he let out a wretched, unwilling scream.

  He had never imagined such a turn of events.

  As the Demon Lord’s silhouette turned, the star-sand greatsword inch by inch disintegrated, crumbling into fine grains that cascaded down like a broken river of stars, scattering starlight.

  What kind of terrifying power was this?

  The Saint Lord’s mind was shattered with shock—and above all, fear. He felt the breath of death.

  The aura radiating from this manifested figure alone filled him with utter terror.

  Who was he?

  An Ascended Immortal?

  Or… a true Immortal beyond even that?!

  PFFT!

  The Saint Lord coughed blood in great spurts, unable to control his body.

  His flesh cracked. The Star-Sand Constitution he had always been so proud of—now as fragile as porcelain skin, ready to shatter at a touch.

  His gaze fixed on Tang Yimo, then shifted to the surging demonic figure above him.

  A formless body, as if a single breeze could scatter it.

  Not a true physical form.

  The Saint Lord suddenly trembled.

  He felt he had touched something unspeakable, something forbidden.

  Could it be…

  This was a remnant will from the survivors of the Void Heaven’s ancient cataclysm?

  The will of an Ancient Emperor?

  Or a Primordial Saint?!

  He wanted to probe further.

  But he would have no chance.

  BOOM!

  The Demon Lord turned his head and glanced over.

  The Saint Lord’s body seemed to collapse outright, ready to dissolve into star-sand.

  His primordial spirit cracked inch by inch.

  The light in his eyes died completely. His body fell to the ground.

  THUD!

  On the ruined plaza, the broken body of the Star-Moon Saint Lord knelt before Tang Yimo.

  His aura vanished utterly.

  One glance across eternity had annihilated his soul.

  The world fell into deathly silence.

  Aboard every warship beyond the Five Phoenixes, breathing grew rapid.

  Who was that demonic qi figure?

  Was it truly an Ancient Emperor?

  Everyone was horrified.

  Yet after the horror came inexplicable excitement.

  They seemed to see the first light of dawn breaking over the sea—a brilliant radiance that promised to illuminate everything.

  This figure was absolutely connected to the Void Heaven’s secrets.

  Absolutely tied to the legacies left by the Ancient Emperors!

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  One after another, overwhelming auras erupted, shaking heaven and earth like a storm.

  Any one of these auras far surpassed the Star-Moon Saint Lord’s!

  On the Buddhist lotus of the Little Thunderclap Buddha World—

  The Great Venerable Buddha, benevolent and serene, surveyed his surroundings as lotus flowers bloomed around him.

  He felt the auras no weaker than his own.

  He sighed softly.

  Finally, the Great Venerable seated on the lotus pressed his palms together.

  He chanted the Buddha’s name.

  “Amitabha.”

  BOOM!

  A terrifying aura shot skyward like a rainbow piercing the heavens.

  His presence joined the others—no less powerful than the experts on the warships, spirit vessels, and ferocious beasts!

  Venerable Joyous, Saint Master Tuoba, and Saint Master Qingling paled.

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  The moment the Great Venerable released his aura, Venerable Joyous understood—he could never again set foot in the Five Phoenixes.

  By revealing his power now, the Great Venerable was declaring to the Five Phoenixes:

  The Little Thunderclap Buddha World had torn away all pretense.

  They would pursue the Void Heaven’s secrets.

  From this moment, the ambiguous relationship between the Little Thunderclap Buddha World and the Five Phoenixes was severed.

  From now on—they were enemies!

  Tuoba and Qingling trembled.

  “Sixth-grade… even Fifth-grade high-martial worlds…”

  “To think the very first match would rip away all masks!”

  Tuoba’s heart pounded with fear.

  These auras meant Ascended Immortals!

  So many Ascended Immortals—who could stand against them? Who would dare?

  Indeed, the Five Phoenixes’ Young Master Lu was mysterious and peerless.

  He might handle one Ascended Immortal.

  But against so many, filled with greed?

  What chance did he have?!

  Aboard the ancient warship hovering over the plaza—

  A faint laugh rang out.

  Filled with interest, excitement, and the joy of discovering treasure.

  His attendants had all been crushed to the ground by terrifying power.

  This could not be tolerated.

  A chessboard appeared in the sky, lines crisscrossing like a net of stars.

  Only one piece rested upon it, yet like a sea-stabilizing divine needle, it pinned every attendant who tried to rise.

  “Stand. Kill.”

  A calm voice drifted from the ancient warship.

  Light surged in the attendants’ eyes.

  They pressed their palms to the ground, trying to rise.

  BOOM!

  As if shouldering mountains, as if holding up the heavens.

  These attendants were like gods and demons!

  Golden light bloomed across their bodies!

  Golden body flowers!

  Their auras linked, forming an even more terrifying presence.

  Every single attendant was a Tribulation Transcendent who had condensed a golden body flower!

  Many aboard the warships, while focused on the towering Demon Lord, also noticed this.

  So many golden body flower Transcendents—mere attendants.

  The Upper Realm’s might was horrifying!

  It made one feel utterly insignificant!

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Earth-shaking auras rolled forth.

  The attendants blooming with golden body flowers strained to rise from beneath the chess piece’s suppression.

  Crack… crack…

  The sound of golden body flowers wilting rang out.

  BOOM!

  The section of the plaza where the attendants knelt collapsed inward.

  A circular shockwave of dust exploded outward.

  These attendants were like ants pinned to the ground by a single finger—crushed dead!

  Spirit Pressure!

  Young Master Lu’s Spirit Pressure!

  On the Five Phoenixes’ side, cultivators’ eyes lit up.

  Forcing enemies to kneel, rendering them unable to move—this style belonged only to Young Master Lu!

  Young Master Lu of White Jade Capital had acted!

  Every Five Phoenixes cultivator boiled with excitement, hot blood coursing through their veins!

  One glance had slain the Star-Moon Saint Lord.

  The Demon Lord turned his back to the world once more.

  Pillars of aura pierced the heavens, as if countless experts had surrounded the Demon Lord.

  Demonic qi whipped around him.

  The Star-Moon Saint Lord knelt before Tang Yimo—an utterly bizarre scene.

  A faint laugh rang out.

  As if the Demon Lord chuckled softly.

  Wisps of demonic qi began to dissipate, seeming to retract into Tang Yimo’s body.

  But at that moment—

  Furious roars exploded from the warships.

  Buzz… buzz…

  Ascended Immortals no longer hid their auras.

  Countless law-blades formed by the Void Heaven’s rules slashed down, trying to suppress these experts who dared reveal Ascended Immortal presence.

  “You think you can leave after killing the Star-Moon Saint Lord?!”

  “Did you take the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament for a joke?!”

  “Demon—stay! We demand justice for the Star-Moon Saint Lord!”

  Roars thundered.

  From warships and spirit vessels—

  Towering figures of Ascended Immortals appeared, enduring the law-blades’ suppression.

  Their gazes burned like stars, illuminating the world.

  They stepped forward, ready to cross the void.

  The Demon Lord’s qi dispersed.

  With his back to all living beings, he seemed indifferent to their threats.

  I am the Demon Lord.

  I come when I wish. I leave when I wish.

  He began to fade.

  As if about to vanish from the world.

  …

  The mist-shrouded attendant faced Lu Jiulian.

  “Move!”

  His voice was emotionless, but undoubtedly furious.

  He had never taken Lu Jiulian seriously.

  His gaze shifted to the Demon Lord, whose qi was retracting into Tang Yimo.

  His breathing tightened.

  Then he shot forward.

  His sleeve became a razor-sharp blade, sweeping forth thousands of radiant sword-lights—like a waterfall or a silver river.

  Lu Jiulian gently raised his palm.

  A cyan lotus bloomed before him.

  He lightly pushed forward.

  His palm met the attendant’s blade-sleeve.

  The scene was strange—as if Lu Jiulian were seeking death.

  Yet his face remained calm.

  He and Tang Yimo were not close.

  But Tang Yimo was Tang Guo’s brother—and Tang Guo was his only disciple… his only family.

  He would not let her grieve.

  Thus, he would stop this attendant.

  BOOM!

  Thousands of blade- and sword-lights shattered.

  Then Lu Jiulian’s palm strangely passed through it all and struck the attendant’s chest.

  The attendant’s face still held shock and confusion.

  How?!

  BOOM!

  Force exploded.

  The attendant was sent flying.

  He landed, the mist around his head scattering, revealing a middle-aged face.

  The man’s calm eyes stared at Lu Jiulian, filled with killing intent.

  …

  Lu Jiulian had stopped the attendant. Overlord and Qi Liujia seized the chance and shot forward.

  They knew Lu Jiulian was buying them time.

  “Go!”

  Overlord roared.

  Demonic qi surged around him. His charge shook the ruined plaza.

  Qi Liujia followed, array patterns weaving around him.

  The attendant was enraged but completely entangled by Lu Jiulian.

  He was not just held—he was in danger of being killed if he slipped!

  Overlord and Qi Liujia ignored him, closing in on Tang Yimo.

  But the moment they neared—

  Terrifying pressure crushed down, as if ready to compress their bodies to dust.

  “You take Little Tang!”

  Qi Liujia shouted.

  Every wrinkle on his old face twitched.

  The Demon Lord’s qi had fully returned to Tang Yimo’s body. Tang Yimo still held his punching stance, aura nearly spent, blood seeping from his skin.

  Forcing the seventh vein had gravely wounded his life force—he was at death’s door.

  “Got it.”

  Overlord said nothing more.

  He grabbed Tang Yimo and charged out of the pressure zone.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  One after another, terrifying auras descended like rainbows.

  Though weakened by countless law-blades—

  These were still Ascended Immortal pressures.

  Qi Liujia’s hair and beard whipped wildly. He sat cross-legged, array patterns weaving into a formation.

  BOOM!

  Countless pressures smashed down.

  Qi Liujia raised his array skyward, blocking them.

  PFFT! Cracks appeared in the patterns, on the verge of collapse.

  He dropped to one knee, hair flying.

  Overlord carrying Tang Yimo escaped the zone.

  “Stop!”

  From warships and spirit vessels, furious roars thundered.

  These were peak experts from Sixth-grade worlds.

  In their eyes, the Demon Lord was tied to the Void Heaven’s secrets—and had emerged from Tang Yimo.

  They had to keep Tang Yimo.

  He might be the key to unlocking the Void Heaven’s mysteries!

  Overlord charged toward the edge of the plaza with Tang Yimo.

  The attendant entangled by Lu Jiulian was furious, but he could not break free.

  No—he was barely holding on. One mistake and he would die!

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  From the warships and spirit vessels, Ascended Immortals seemed ready to descend.

  Their towering bodies prepared to step forth.

  Qi Liujia gritted his teeth, his array holding up a sky.

  Perhaps noticing the attendants’ plight—

  From the ancient warship, a voice laced with anger rang out.

  “Useless!”

  The word struck their souls.

  The attendants trembled, then attacked even more ferociously.

  PFFT!

  PFFT! PFFT!

  Yet the two chess pieces hovering in the sky remained unshaken.

  The crushed attendants’ bodies began to explode.

  “Insolence!”

  From the ancient bronze warship—

  The age-worn patterns seemed to come alive.

  Creak… creak…

  The ancient cabin door began to open.

  As if a terrifying figure within was awakening, slowly rising from languid slumber.

  BOOM!

  The Upper Realm envoy within the ancient warship was about to emerge.

  This sight made even many experts on the surrounding warships pause.

  The Upper Realm envoy—feared by all.

  Yet…

  A faint laugh rang through the world.

  Like thunder from a clear sky.

  The chessboard spread, enveloping the ancient warship.

  A chess piece fell like a blazing sun.

  Onto the crisscrossing star-like lines.

  BOOM!

  Spirit pressure crashed down like a boulder into a lake, sending shockwaves rolling outward.

  The figure that had just risen within the ancient warship…

  Sat back down heavily.

  As if forcibly shoved back by the falling piece’s pressure…