BOOM!

  Terrifying thunder rolled endlessly from the heavens. The laws themselves seemed to tremble, resonating with the thunder.

  A strange, oppressive aura permeated the Void Heaven.

  The figures trapped within the Heaven-Covering Array looked up at the sky, eyes gleaming.

  The surprises in this Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament had come one after another.

  A Seventh-grade world, Star-Moon, had actually lost to a Ninth-grade world, the Five Phoenixes. Tang Yimo’s Demon Lord silhouette alone had been shocking enough.

  Then the ancient killer—the Sword King under the Blood-Robed General—had emerged and beheaded the Upper Realm envoy with a single strike.

  Even Ascended Immortals had been stunned.

  And now, the Five Phoenixes’ Saint Lord had appeared, seized the Dao Derivation Mirror… and triggered heavenly tribulation.

  Many watched with schadenfreude, hoping Lu Fan would be struck dead by the lightning.

  Of course, they were in no hurry.

  Though Lu Fan had trapped them in an Earth-tier grand array, killing them all would not be easy.

  Moreover, several Fifth-grade Ascended Immortals had already escaped.

  News of everything that had happened in the Void Heaven would soon spread through the Lower Three Heavens.

  The Upper Realm would learn of it.

  The death of their envoy was no small matter!

  The Upper Realm would never let it slide. Powerful experts would descend. Lu Fan’s temporary hosting of the tournament wouldn’t last long.

  BOOM!

  In the endless darkness of the Void Heaven, a deep azure abyss seemed to split the sky like an axe blow.

  Some faintly saw distant palaces—jade towers, immortal qi swirling, carved railings of jade.

  The tribulation actually manifested visions!

  Such phenomena only appeared when top-tier special constitutions faced Ascended Immortal tribulations.

  Yet now, merely for inscribing dao essence, such visions appeared!

  Every cultivator in the Five Phoenixes looked up at the sky.

  Their hearts pounded as if ready to burst.

  “Is that… the Immortal Realm?”

  People murmured.

  Even the Ascended Immortals trapped in the array felt their hearts tremble.

  The tribulation had come. Wind rose.

  Lu Fan’s white robes fluttered wildly.

  He toyed with the Dao Derivation Mirror, expression calm.

  Suddenly—

  Figures appeared at the edge of the abyss.

  They stood there, emotionless and numb, gazing down.

  BOOM!

  One figure reached into the abyss, seized an azure thunder dragon, and hurled it downward.

  The thunder began as a dragon.

  As it descended, it transformed into a sharp azure spear.

  The spear fell straight and true, as if piercing the void itself.

  Terrifying sonic booms tore at eardrums.

  Brilliant light dazzled the eyes!

  On the blood-colored battlefield—

  Every soul in the Five Phoenixes felt crushing pressure.

  Qi Liujia wiped the blood from his beard, face pale.

  “This is… tribulation for inscribing dao essence?!”

  “Impossible! How can it be this strong?!”

  Qi Liujia trembled, his face ashen. He had never imagined tribulation for inscribing dao essence could be this terrifying!

  Had the heavens targeted the wrong person?!

  Overlord, Lu Jiulian, and the others narrowed their eyes.

  The new emperor Tantai He was utterly shocked.

  Under such world-ending tribulation, he would be annihilated instantly!

  BOOM!

  World-shaking rumbles echoed endlessly.

  Just as the tribulation spear was about to strike—

  Lu Fan moved.

  He raised his hand and casually tossed the Dao Derivation Mirror upward.

  BOOM!

  The thunder spear collided with the mirror.

  Countless arcs of lightning crawled across it, spreading like a spiderweb.

  This…

  Everyone’s pupils contracted.

  Some even looked dumbfounded.

  What the hell?!

  He just… threw the mirror?!

  That was a Heaven-tier artifact?!

  The Ascended Immortals trapped in the array were speechless.

  Was Saint Lord Lu trying to use heavenly tribulation to shatter the mirror and seize its origin dao essence?!

  BOOM!

  The mirror trembled violently.

  Then was blasted back.

  Lu Fan caught it.

  He looked at the smoking but undamaged mirror and sighed regretfully.

  “What a pity… it didn’t break.”

  He shook his head.

  When the system had described the mirror, Lu Fan had this idea. Now he had tested it.

  Unfortunately, the mirror held.

  This tribulation was still too weak.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  The thunder spear continued to fall.

  The Spirit Pressure Chessboard appeared before Lu Fan.

  He picked up a piece and placed it.

  Plop…

  The thunder spear was compressed by overwhelming pressure, shrinking into a thunder-compressed chess piece that landed neatly on the board.

  Lu Fan toyed with the mirror in one hand, smiling faintly.

  In the abyss above the Nine Heavens, the figures seemed enraged by his casual attitude.

  Tribulation represented heaven’s judgment.

  Lu Fan’s actions were an insult to the heavens.

  BOOM!

  One after another, thunder arcs crashed down.

  Crackle…

  A sea of lightning filled the sky.

  Each spear carried world-ending might, chilling to the bone.

  Yet Lu Fan’s white robes fluttered, hair dancing in the wind.

  The Dao Derivation Mirror rested on his knee.

  He rolled up his sleeve and placed pieces unhurriedly.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Every thunderbolt was crushed into a chess piece by terrifying spirit pressure, landing steadily on the board.

  The scene was dazzlingly cool.

  It was as if Young Master Lu was playing chess against the heavens.

  What a refined way to transcend tribulation?!

  Such terrifying tribulation—yet he handled it so lightly.

  The tribulation ended.

  A game of chess neared its conclusion.

  The shadowy figures in the immortal palaces above the Nine Heavens gradually faded.

  Finally, the clouds dispersed. The Void Heaven returned to calm.

  Laws rippled outward.

  It was over?!

  Just like that?

  No blood, no desperate struggle.

  Only calm composure.

  Everyone was stunned, watching the white-robed youth seated on his silver-bladed chair, at a loss for words.

  The tribulation had been… too easy.

  Qi Liujia’s pale face gradually showed shock. Something felt wrong.

  Transcending tribulation this easily… perhaps it truly was just for inscribing dao essence.

  Lu Fan smiled faintly.

  This tribulation had indeed been extraordinary—it was for breaking through to Qi Refinement Layer 7, descending from the Nine Heavens.

  But compared to the tribulation when the Five Phoenixes became high-martial, this was nothing.

  The tribulation scattered.

  The world fell silent.

  Of course, this shock was still within acceptable limits.

  The Ascended Immortals and other experts trapped in the array had hoped to see Lu Fan bleed under the tribulation.

  But they knew he had a high chance of succeeding.

  After all, it was merely tribulation for inscribing dao essence.

  Yet they thought they had predicted everything.

  In reality, they understood nothing.

  As the tribulation ended—

  A ringing sound exploded in Lu Fan’s ears.

  Like the grand sound of the Great Dao.

  The system panel automatically appeared.

  His spiritual energy reserves had broken free, surging upward…

  Though not a full century’s accumulation, this breakthrough felt exhilarating.

  Qi Refinement… Layer 7!

  Finally Layer 7!

  Light blazed in Lu Fan’s eyes, illuminating the entire Void Heaven!

  His spiritual energy reserves surpassed ten million strands—and kept rising with his accumulated reserves!

  BOOM!

  Within Lu Fan, mountains seemed to collapse—energy surging wildly.

  Not just Qi Refinement.

  His primordial spirit, stuck at 99, finally broke through!

  And this breakthrough was a massive leap.

  Even Lu Fan himself was slightly surprised.

  *Host:* Lu Fan

  *Title:* Qi Refiner (Permanent)

  *Qi Refinement Layer:* 7

  *Spiritual Energy Reserves:* 21,657,009 / 100,000,000 strands

  *Primordial Spirit Power:* 769 (Yuan)

  *Chaos Energy:* 59 (He)

  Lu Fan looked at the system panel and exhaled slowly.

  Aside from the dramatically changed panel, there were rewards for reaching Qi Refinement Layer 7.

  But for now, Lu Fan did not check them.

  As he entered Layer 7, the Five Phoenixes’ spiritual energy grew denser, but otherwise saw no major change.

  Now a high-martial world, major transformations likely required breakthroughs in origin dao essence inscription.

  This was perhaps Lu Fan’s least impactful breakthrough to date.

  But for his personal strength, the leap was enormous.

  He stopped paying attention to the onlookers.

  His mind returned.

  The Dao Derivation Mirror in his hand glowed, its origin dao essence flowing like water.

  Lu Fan frowned slightly.

  He needed a way to drain all the origin dao essence from the mirror.

  To him, the mirror was useless unless emptied and converted into the Five Phoenixes’ dao essence.

  A thought.

  His finger flicked the armrest.

  The next moment—

  Phoenix Feather Swords stacked above his head, forming the complete sword.

  Rip!

  Under his primordial spirit’s control, the fiery red tip slashed down, striking the mirror and making it tremble violently.

  But when he pulled the sword away—

  Not a single crack.

  He couldn’t break it.

  The mirror’s durability exceeded his expectations.

  Many gazes watched him slashing the mirror with his sword and fell speechless.

  Just like when he had used tribulation lightning on it.

  What grudge did this man have with the mirror?!

  But now they understood—Lu Fan only wanted the origin dao essence inside.

  Seeing even Phoenix Feather Sword couldn’t shatter it, Lu Fan stopped.

  At this moment, the entire Void Heaven was utterly silent.

  The experts trapped in the Heaven-Covering Array breathed heavily.

  This Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament had completely derailed.

  Though Lu Fan claimed he was taking over, who would believe him?

  How could the tournament continue?

  The skeletal daoist stood behind Lu Fan, rusted sword in hand, ghostly flames flickering in his sockets.

  He had come under the Blood-Robed General’s command to kill the envoy. Mission complete.

  It was time to return to the tomb.

  He left quickly, afraid to linger—Lu Fan’s gaze on his rusted sword had been too heated.

  Lu Fan felt a twinge of regret. As the Five Phoenixes’ greatest refiner, he had wanted to study that sword.

  Unfortunately, the daoist guarded it closely.

  Withdrawing his gaze, Lu Fan held the mirror and looked at the experts from various worlds trapped in the array—warships, spirit vessels, and beasts.

  Among them were Ascended Immortals like the Great Venerable of the Buddha World.

  They were very well-behaved within the array.

  Lu Fan knew what they were waiting for, but he didn’t care.

  His primordial spirit entered the mirror.

  His lips curled.

  Thinking of the attendant’s earlier talk of “fairness and justice,” he found it laughable.

  The mirror allowed easy control of the tournament matchups.

  The Five Phoenixes facing a Seventh-grade world first had definitely been deliberate.

  Lu Fan checked the remaining participant list.

  His lips curved into a smile.

  …

  “Everyone, the dead cannot return, but the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament originated in the Void Heaven. We must continue its glory.”

  “Thus, the tournament will proceed.”

  Lu Fan spoke slowly.

  Then he raised his hand and dispersed the Heaven-Covering Array.

  Warships, spirit vessels, and beasts reappeared.

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

  Knowing Lu Fan, they were certain he was up to no good.

  “The tournament continues?”

  “It’s already chaos—how can it continue?!”

  “Continue? Continue my ass! The symbol of fairness—the Upper Realm envoy—is gone. What meaning does this tournament have?!”

  Many lower-world experts shouted defiantly.

  Many Fifth-grade worlds, including their leading Ascended Immortals, had fled—leaving only scattered Transcendents.

  They couldn’t even field full teams—what was the point?

  But some Sixth- and Seventh-grade experts’ eyes gleamed.

  For them, profit remained.

  Lu Fan smiled as if he hadn’t heard the protests.

  “Since no one objects, I’ll take that as agreement for me, Lu, to host the rest of the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament.”

  Everyone: “…”

  Did this man hear their refusals?!

  How could he be so shameless?!

  Some Sixth-grade experts didn’t mind.

  Fight? Fine.

  If they faced the Five Phoenixes, they would crush them—make Lu Fan taste defeat.

  After all, many Seventh- and Sixth-grade worlds believed themselves no weaker than Star-Moon.

  “Then let’s begin selecting the next matchup.”

  Lu Fan spoke.

  On the blood-colored battlefield—

  The Five Phoenixes side was puzzled, unsure why Lu Fan insisted on continuing.

  He raised a hand and tapped the Dao Derivation Mirror.

  Ripples spread across its surface.

  Two beams of light shot out.

  Origin dao essence trembled, coiling like divine dragons within the mirror.

  One beam projected the Five Phoenixes.

  Again?!

  The experts beyond the Five Phoenixes were stunned.

  The second phantom soon formed into another world.

  Lu Fan sensed his opponent through the mirror and smiled warmly.

  “My selection is absolutely fair and just.”

  He said earnestly.

  Then laughed: “Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament, second match.”

  “Void Heaven, Ninth-grade Five Phoenixes Small World…”

  “Versus…”

  “Blood Evil Heaven, Eighth-grade North Wind Small World.”

  Lu Fan’s clear, refined voice rang across the Five Phoenixes.

  His gaze shifted to Emperor Tantai He below.

  “Emperor, please tidy the battlefield. As host of the Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament, the Five Phoenixes must not lose grace.”

  Tantai He’s face flushed red with excitement at being addressed.

  He ordered hundreds of iron riders to rush out, using spiritual qi to flatten and restore the plaza into a new arena.

  Beyond the Five Phoenixes, aboard a spirit vessel, the experts of the Eighth-grade North Wind World turned ashen.

  The Five Phoenixes had defeated a Seventh-grade world!

  North Wind was only Eighth-grade—certain defeat!

  The surrounding experts realized this too.

  “Both sides, take the stage.”

  Lu Fan spoke slowly.

  Figures shot onto the newly restored plaza.

  Jiang Li led Ye Shoudao, Du Longyang, Ni Chunqiu, and Young Master Tianxu.

  Their auras blazed with excitement.

  Previously oppressed by Star-Moon, now with Young Master Lu backing them…

  It was their turn to oppress others!

  They were excited, yet also a little wistful.

  They had become the very people they once despised most.

  The North Wind spirit vessel remained still.

  In the Void Heaven—

  Lu Fan’s eyes narrowed, smile fading.

  “You think I’m not qualified to host this tournament?”

  “Or that I’m easy to bully?”

  BOOM!

  He flicked the armrest.

  A silver blade flashed, streaking across the sky toward the North Wind vessel.

  PFFT!

  Aboard the vessel, North Wind’s leader—a half-step Ascended Immortal—exploded, primordial spirit shredded by the silver blade, dying instantly in a cloud of blood mist!

  His body fell from the vessel, sliced to pieces by falling law-blades!

  Silence.

  The North Wind contestants trembled in terror.

  Their team battle members finally leapt from the vessel, landing on the plaza to face Jiang Li and the others.

  “First match—team battle. Both sides stake ten strands of origin dao essence…”

  Lu Fan, seated in the Thousand-Blade Chair, smiled.

  The North Wind contestants and experts from surrounding worlds glared.

  Wasn’t staking voluntary?!

  How dare he decide ten strands for them without asking?!

  They finally understood—under Lu Fan’s control, the Dao Derivation Mirror and the tournament had become a dao essence farm for the Five Phoenixes.

  The bullied had become the bullies.

  “Heaven and Earth Grand Tournament, second match—begin.”

  Lu Fan’s words fell.

  The hundred thousand Great Xuan troops roared in excitement, armor clashing.

  On the battlefield, before North Wind could even move—

  Jiang Li, eyes burning with battle intent, led Ye Shoudao, Du Longyang, and the others like ferocious demons charging forth.