The Five Phoenixes rise with the wind—ten thousand realms come to pay homage!

  One after another, the mighty envoys from Pingyang Heaven bowed deeply. Top-grade spirit stone veins hovered in the sky like divine dragons, so numerous they blotted out the sun.

  It was as if the entire vault of heaven had been replaced by a canopy forged of spirit stones.

  Atop Mount Tai Ling.

  Tantai He rose to his feet, fists clenched.

  Though he was merely mortal, though he knew these experts from Pingyang Heaven feared only the legendary Young Master Lu, at this moment—as the Human Emperor of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty of the Five Phoenixes—he felt genuine, heartfelt joy.

  Compared to the time when they were besieged by armies from ten thousand realms and invaded by the upper worlds, the Five Phoenixes now were like a phoenix awakening, spreading its wings to reveal its might.

  Everyone was growing—even the Human Emperor.

  Every experience carved a mark upon their lives, and those marks were the footprints of their growth.

  Tantai He’s eyes blazed. Feeling the grandeur of “ten thousand realms paying homage,” his conviction grew stronger: the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty needed to cultivate high-level cultivators.

  Moreover, in his view, the dynasty’s stability required cultivators as well.

  Dragon qi could suppress many existences, but what if a cultivator appeared who could ignore dragon qi entirely?

  The Tantai He who once adhered strictly to the principle that a Human Emperor must never cultivate to achieve longevity now felt a trace of envy for those who could soar through the skies and shatter mountains and seas.

  Once, he had only wished to become a great Human Emperor like his father, Tantai Xuan.

  But now, his mindset had changed.

  The grand event of ten thousand realms coming to pay tribute shocked not only the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty but the entire cultivation world.

  Figures streaked across the sky, hovering high above, gazing in awe at the countless spirit stone veins.

  It was truly spectacular. So many veins pouring into the Five Phoenixes would surely trigger a terrifying leap in power!

  For a time, every cultivator’s heart surged with excitement.

  Just as the excitement reached its peak—

  A long rainbow flashed across the heavens.

  The rainbow dispersed, revealing a figure in a flowing white dress: Jing Yue.

  She had grown even more breathtaking—a cold, stunning beauty like an unapproachable glacier.

  Only beside Young Master Lu did Jing Yue ever allow that glacier to melt into a smile.

  The Joyful Venerable clasped his hands in greeting.

  Every envoy from Pingyang Heaven followed suit.

  Jing Yue represented White Jade Capital—and the terrifying Holy Lord Lu that everyone feared.

  Atop Mount Tai Ling.

  Human Emperor Tantai He’s eyes flickered.

  He bowed respectfully toward Jing Yue, and his hundred officials and countless soldiers followed.

  When White Jade Capital appeared, the world bowed.

  Such was the status of White Jade Capital.

  Jing Yue inclined her head slightly.

  She raised a delicate hand, and a black ring appeared in her palm.

  Many recognized it—it was Holy Lord Lu’s personal ring.

  She tossed it lightly into the air.

  The ring seemed to crush the void itself. Terrifying pressure made everyone struggle to breathe.

  Though the Holy Lord himself was absent, a mere ring he wore close to his body was enough to instill dread.

  Rainbow light burst from the ring.

  In an instant, all the spirit stone veins and spiritual herbs hovering in the sky vanished.

  The peak of Mount Tai Ling suddenly felt empty again as sunlight poured down once more.

  Yet everyone felt a strange sense of loss.

  “By the Young Master’s command, White Jade Capital has taken the spirit stone veins and herbs,” Jing Yue said.

  Her long lashes fluttered as she swept her gaze across the crowd. No one dared object.

  Even the cultivators of the Five Phoenixes hovering in the sky harbored no greedy thoughts.

  They knew that seizing even one vein would grant an explosive breakthrough.

  But they did not dare.

  To move against White Jade Capital… was to court death.

  The legendary Holy Lord Lu was not known for his good temper.

  After collecting the treasures, Jing Yue vanished into the heavens once more.

  The envoys from Pingyang Heaven’s many High Martial worlds stood awkwardly, their warships hovering, unsure whether to stay or leave.

  Human Emperor Tantai He was the first to react, laughing heartily.

  “You have all traveled far and worked hard. I, the Human Emperor of the Five Phoenixes, will take the liberty of hosting a feast for you in the imperial capital.”

  His laughter rang out.

  Atop the peak, the officials paled in horror.

  “Your Majesty… no!”

  “Your Majesty, please reconsider!”

  The officials trembled and hurriedly spoke.

  Tantai He ignored them.

  A blunt old Confucian scholar stepped forward, eyes red.

  “Your Majesty! This feast… cannot be held! It is too dangerous!”

  Though aged, his voice was resolute.

  High above, the experts from Pingyang Heaven exchanged strange looks, many with gleaming eyes.

  The Joyful Venerable had no desire to attend—he only wanted to flee the Five Phoenixes, flee the Void Heaven, flee Lu Ping’an.

  Otherwise, his life hung by a thread.

  “Since the Human Emperor invites us, we shall stay a few days and feast with His Majesty.”

  The experts from Pingyang Heaven exchanged glances.

  They had no intention of causing trouble in the Five Phoenixes—White Jade Capital loomed over them.

  But if they could learn more about the Five Phoenixes and bring back useful intelligence, their Holy Lords would be pleased.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  The Joyful Venerable had no choice but to stay.

  If everyone else remained and he left alone, it would be a slap in the Five Phoenixes’ face.

  If that somehow offended Holy Lord Lu’s petty side, he would have nowhere to cry.

  Word of the Human Emperor hosting a feast for Pingyang Heaven’s many experts spread like wildfire.

  The Great Xuan Divine Dynasty was on edge. Nearly all Xuanwu Guards were deployed to protect the imperial capital.

  The Human Emperor was only mortal. Though protected by dragon qi, against so many experts, if they truly wished him harm, he would not survive.

  Even Jiang Li emerged from seclusion.

  He personally oversaw the banquet, his primordial spirit sweeping constantly to prevent any expert from trying to control the emperor.

  The common people were naturally curious.

  But the noble families of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty paid even closer attention.

  The warships docked outside the imperial capital.

  Countless mortals stared in awe at the flying vessels radiating slaughter and grandeur.

  Many cultivators coveted them too—each warship was a top-tier profound-tier artifact!

  The feast began.

  Surprisingly, it was peaceful. Cups clinked, and the atmosphere remained harmonious.

  The experts feared White Jade Capital and dared not act out of line.

  Human Emperor Tantai He sat at the head of the table. Though mortal, he faced the many experts without the slightest hint of inferiority.

  Many from Pingyang Heaven looked at him with surprise.

  The officials of the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty ate with pounding hearts, terrified something would happen to their emperor.

  Fortunately, everything ended smoothly.

  …

  In the deep palace of the imperial capital.

  Tantai He stood with hands behind his back, his robes slightly disheveled. Beside him, an old eunuch stood respectfully with head bowed.

  A few strands of hair danced before Tantai He’s forehead.

  He watched the bronze warships rise from outside the capital and depart the Five Phoenixes, a self-mocking smile on his lips.

  Scenes from the feast replayed in his mind. Though he was the Human Emperor, those experts had never truly respected him. To them, he was an ant they could crush at any moment.

  If not for their fear of Young Master Lu, they would never have humored him.

  “Eunuch Hong…”

  Tantai He murmured.

  “This old servant is here.”

  The eunuch’s slightly shrill voice answered as he bowed.

  “Tell me… if we continue following my father’s philosophy, can Great Xuan truly endure forever? Can the divine dynasty… truly last for all eternity?”

  Tantai He did not move, eyes fixed on the departing warships.

  The old eunuch trembled and dropped to his knees.

  “Your Majesty… this old servant dares not speak ill of the previous emperor.”

  “What is there to fear? We’re just chatting.”

  Tantai He smiled helplessly at the kneeling eunuch.

  He walked barefoot across the wooden floor of the palace.

  Then he laughed softly.

  “Cultivators… are still essential.”

  “To secure the dynasty, powerful cultivators are indispensable. Father believed the people’s hearts alone could sustain Great Xuan forever, but… the hearts of the people change. How can something that changes grant eternity?”

  Shaking his head, Tantai He walked along the corridor, hands behind his back.

  His silhouette looked heavy.

  Tantai He’s sense of crisis far exceeded Tantai Xuan’s.

  Founding a divine dynasty was easy. Maintaining it… was hard.

  Especially as the Five Phoenixes grew stronger and cultivators rose in power.

  If the Great Xuan Divine Dynasty lacked sufficient strength to anchor it, one day it would fall.

  Another dynasty would rise in its place.

  Tantai He knew—he had to change something.

  …

  The news of the Human Emperor feasting Pingyang Heaven’s experts soon faded.

  To mortals, cultivators were too distant; they quickly forgot.

  To cultivators, the event held little significance.

  One feast could not mend relations.

  Cultivators returned to their training.

  With the emergence of both the Northern Emperor Sutra and Eastern Emperor Sutra, many studied the scriptures diligently. Countless new cultivation methods were derived from them, giving birth to numerous sects.

  The cultivation world bloomed with a hundred flowers.

  Furthermore, Lü Mudui, the Heavenly Mechanic Pavilion Master under White Jade Capital, announced that the Five Phoenixes had reaped immense rewards from the Heavenly Grand Competition—vast amounts of Dao reserves now etched into the world origin.

  These reserves would eventually feed back to cultivators.

  This was the best time to comprehend Dao Intent.

  The news sent cultivators flocking to the Dao Stele in the Nine Prisons Secret Realm.

  Over the years, many succeeded—fifth-sequence, sixth-sequence, even seventh- and eighth-sequence Dao Intents appeared.

  The cultivators of the world were growing stronger.

  The Northern Emperor Sutra detailed cultivation from Qi Condensation to the Three Gods Realm. The newly revealed Eastern Emperor Sutra continued from there, describing the Creation Venerable and Heavenly Person realms.

  Unifying the primordial spirit formed the Origin Flower. Creation Venerables gathered the Golden Body Flower and Dao Intent Flower, then endured heavenly thunder to enter the Three Flowers Gather Atop realm.

  The Five Phoenixes cultivators also learned the external realm divisions: Primordial Spirit Unity corresponded to Body Integration, Creation Venerable to Tribulation Transcendence, and Heavenly Person to Immortal Transformation.

  Overall, the Five Phoenixes’ system seemed stricter.

  True Creation Venerables were still rare, though many half-step Creation Venerables existed—Overlord, Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, and others.

  But Heavenly Persons were confirmed: the myth who walked out of the Great Xuan Academy, Lu Jiulian, was one.

  And the terrifying witch of Buzhou Peak seemed to be another, though no one could say for certain.

  As for White Jade Capital’s Young Master Lu…

  Both the cultivation and mortal worlds regarded him as having already stepped into the realm of immortals—a true land deity!

  With clear realm divisions and concrete goals, the world burned with motivation to become Creation Venerables.

  …

  Jing Yue returned to the island at the lake’s heart.

  Gongshu Yu and Aru, master and disciple, were already waiting.

  Lu Ping’an had emerged from seclusion.

  His research on the formation inscriptions was temporarily complete.

  Jing Yue returned the Mysterious Black Ring to Lu Ping’an and informed him of the Human Emperor’s feast.

  Lu Ping’an took the ring, swept his primordial spirit through the veins inside, and smiled.

  “This new emperor is different from Tantai Xuan. He has his own ideas.”

  “No need to concern ourselves with such small matters. Let him manage the world as he sees fit.”

  He crafted a spatial ring, separating the spiritual herbs from the spirit stone veins. The veins remained in the black ring; the herbs went into the new ring.

  “Jing Yue, deliver these herbs to Father.”

  He tossed the ring to her.

  “Yes, Young Master.”

  Though curious, Jing Yue asked nothing and vanished in a flash.

  Her cultivation had advanced rapidly. On the island, she never neglected training and was now only one Dao Intent Flower away from Creation Venerable.

  The ancient tomb floated above the vast sea, not far from the island.

  Jing Yue arrived quickly.

  She entered the city walls.

  Within the tomb, the skeletal remains of the Four Kings still knelt.

  Jing Yue sensed powerful auras—each at the half-step Creation Venerable level.

  Sword light flashed.

  Ximen Xianzhi appeared, sword case on his back, elegant as ever.

  “Lady Jing, why have you come to the ancient tomb?”

  He asked with a smile.

  “The Young Master sent me to find the Lord.”

  Jing Yue’s face was cold as frost.

  Ximen Xianzhi smiled and led her deeper into the tomb.

  Along the way, Luo Mingyue and Jiang Li, training atop the city walls, opened their eyes and nodded slightly to Jing Yue.

  Suddenly, a shadow flickered.

  Jing Yue’s white dress flared. Transparent cicada-wing ice blades slashed out with terrifying sharpness.

  Clang!

  A pair of silver scissors blocked the strike.

  Mo Liuqi emerged from the darkness, cloaked in black.

  “It’s you.”

  Jing Yue frowned.

  “I’m not the one looking for you—she is.”

  Mo Liuqi pointed beside him.

  Jing Yue’s body trembled slightly.

  From the shadows stepped a familiar figure.

  It was Yi Yue, whom she hadn’t seen in years.

  Yi Yue now wore a black dress, a long whip of unknown material coiled around her waist. Her long lashes fluttered, emotions turbulent.

  “Sister Jing…”

  Yi Yue looked at Jing Yue, her foxy face filled with excitement.

  “You’re ready to come back?”

  Jing Yue’s icy expression softened.

  Yi Yue nodded.

  “I must return and beg the Young Master’s forgiveness…”

  She had left White Jade Capital without permission. Lu Ping’an had never questioned her about it.

  With his methods, finding her would have been easy.

  Yet he had never dragged her back—he had let her walk her own path.

  “Good. When I return, we’ll go together.”

  Jing Yue did not refuse.

  She could see the resolve in Yi Yue’s eyes.

  Led by Ximen Xianzhi, Jing Yue entered the deepest palace of the tomb.

  She found Lu Changkong laughing and chatting with the white-robed Gu Mangran.

  “My Lord.”

  Jing Yue bowed and handed over the spatial ring.

  “Oh?”

  Lu Changkong was surprised—his son still remembered his old man?

  “Spiritual herbs? So many high-grade spiritual herbs…”

  Lu Changkong’s eyes lit up the moment he scanned them.

  “As expected of my son!”

  He laughed heartily.

  The skeletal Gu Mangran spoke, “Young Master Lu clearly knows Lord Lu’s ability to turn the rotten into the miraculous… He sent so many high-grade herbs to help perfect Lord Lu’s Myriad Poison Body.”

  Lu Changkong shook his head. “The general is only half right. Fan’er sent these herbs primarily to have me cultivate divine medicines—to restore the general’s strength.”

  Gu Mangran fell silent.

  He had suspected as much—Lu Ping’an’s goal was divine medicine.

  “In a little while, I planned to leave the Void Heaven and search the lower three heavens for divine medicines. I never expected Young Master Lu to have already prepared.”

  Gu Mangran said.

  Searching the lower three heavens would be dangerous—there were no Void Heaven restrictions there.

  Supreme experts might dare to capture or kill him.

  “I will do everything in my power.”

  Lu Changkong declared.

  But his gaze settled deeply on Gu Mangran, carrying an intensity that even someone like Gu Mangran felt pressured.

  “If one day the general regains his strength, I hope the general will grant this old man one request.”

  “What request?”

  Gu Mangran’s magnetic voice asked.

  “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll tell the general when the time comes.”

  Lu Changkong shook his head.

  Gu Mangran went quiet. Lu Changkong had already decided—he simply wasn’t saying.

  “Very well.”

  After a long pause, Gu Mangran agreed.

  Lu Changkong smiled and turned, waving to the nearly invisible, utterly background Bu Nanxing.

  “Little Bu, come! Be my assistant. You and I will cultivate another thousand or eight hundred divine medicines!”

  Bu Nanxing’s face darkened.

  Again?

  Making divine medicines was insanely dangerous!

  But under Lu Changkong’s kindly gaze, Bu Nanxing could not refuse.

  Jing Yue took her leave.

  She departed the ancient tomb.

  Yi Yue bid farewell to Mo Liuqi and left with Jing Yue.

  The two drifted gracefully back to the island at the lake’s heart.

  Yi Yue gazed at the familiar sights—nothing on the island had changed at all.

  “S-Sister Yi Yue?!”

  Ni Yu, fresh from another cauldron explosion, face blackened like a calico cat, saw the black-dressed Yi Yue and her big eyes lit up with delight.

  Yi Yue stared at the familiar little loli Ni Yu, momentarily dazed.

  After so many years, Ni Yu still looked like a little girl.

  But soon, Ni Yu froze mid-step.

  The nostalgic smile on Yi Yue’s face solidified.

  Because she saw, in the peach blossom grove…

  The young master seated upon the Thousand-Bladed Chair, unchanged from years ago.

  At this moment…

  He idly twirled a peach blossom between his fingers, gazing faintly at her.