Chapter 484: Intrigues and Ascensions

Fang Han Shu maintained a stern expression, though his mind drifted into contemplation.

Just how many spiritual confinements had Li Che secretly set up outside?

How many schemes had he devised?!

Eunuch Lian was a trusted favorite of the Emperor—one of Great Jing Emperor’s most relied-upon aides, even more so than the Empress and the seductive Consort Su Da.

Yet now, this very eunuch knelt before Li Che with a reverent, almost fanatical devotion that surpassed even his deference to the Emperor.

Fang Han Shu couldn’t help but marvel at Li Che’s cunning methods.

As a scholar, Fang Han Shu disliked brute force brawls; he preferred intricate strategies and calculated moves.

Though Li Che was an unrivaled Martial Immortal, he lacked the reckless boldness of a mere warrior.

He skillfully laid out his plans, always opting for strategy over brute force—a quality that Fang Han Shu deeply admired.

“My Lord!”

Eunuch Lian knelt on the ground, continuously kowtowing.

For a eunuch, displaying such undying loyalty to his master was second nature—an ability ingrained deep within his very bones.

“A Sovereign of the Pantheon from the Dark Heavenly Court, at the level of Second Calamity and Third Tribulation, has come seeking the Emperor, hoping to borrow the Ju Xian Xuan Flag,”

Eunuch Lian announced respectfully.

Li Che’s body shimmered with clarity, as if radiating light; having broken into the Martial Immortal realm, he felt better than ever.

At these words, Fang Han Shu’s eyes narrowed, “Borrow the Ju Xian Flag?”

“Their motives are not pure. It seems… the Ghost Emperor, refusing to die, has pushed them into a corner,”

Li Che responded gravely.

“The three top elites within Qitian Inner City no longer wish to sit idle. They aim to seize complete control of Qitian City. To do so, the human Martial Immortal and the Ghost Emperor must be dealt with—whether the Ghost Emperor burns out or not, they dare not risk another gamble. Even the mighty elites in the Inner City Pantheon hesitate to act, fearing the Ghost Emperor’s retribution.”

“So borrowing the Ju Xian Flag from the Great Jing Emperor must imply that the Supreme intends to act personally!”

Li Che nodded. “The Ju Xian Flag can shield against the will of heaven and earth… Only a Supreme can truly wield its power. Just as the Great Sage once brandished the Ju Xian Flag to break out of the Inner City and strike at those hidden within the Minor Cavern of the Heavens…”

Even Li Che hadn’t expected that the top elite of Qitian Inner City, Xuan Zhen, would be so resolute as to seek the Ju Xian Flag from the Emperor…

“Did they come via the Bizarre Temple route?” Li Che inquired.

Eunuch Lian hastily nodded, “A Supreme from the Dark Heavenly Court tore through the eerie mists and carved a path that runs through Qitian Inner City…”

“Now, the location of Qitian Inner City is no longer a secret within the Bizarre Temple.”

At these words, Li Che’s brows furrowed.

This was truly dangerous. While the Supreme was safe, Fang Han Shu was on the verge of touching the Supreme level after devouring the spiritual confinements.

In other words, even the Underworld now boasted Supreme combat power…

But if the path through the Bizarre Temple were opened and a reawakened deity descended, disaster would be inevitable.

Even though Li Che was a Martial Immortal, he stood no chance against a truly divine being.

Even if it were a deity barely revived, possessing only minimal Supreme power, Li Che would struggle to contend with it…

It was like comparing a recently revived Qitian—having absorbed the blood and flesh of several Second Calamity elders—to someone who could completely overpower a Supreme by sheer level difference.

It was as if a university student were solving kindergarten puzzles with ease.

Lost in thought, Li Che stood with his arms crossed. His Golden Lotus Ink Robe, adorned with intricate embroidery, fluttered wildly in the storm’s force while his eyes sparkled with resplendent golden light.

Deep in his heart, he was determined not to let the Ju Xian Flag fall into the hands of the Supreme from Qitian Inner City. If the three top elites truly mobilized, Li Che would surely find it difficult and might have to temporarily abandon Qitian City.

After all, Li Che still needed time to grow stronger; becoming powerful obviously could not happen overnight.

Fortunately, the chess pieces he had planted in advance had now come into play, revealing the Emperor and the Dark Heavenly Court Supreme’s plans and deals.

“The Emperor has ordered me to take the Ju Xian Xuan Flag to Qitian Inner City…”

“I hold a Divine Talisman in my hand. If things go awry, I can crush it to send the Ju Xian Xuan Flag back to the Great Jing Imperial Mausoleum,” Eunuch Lian said while bowing.

The Ju Xian Flag was clearly important to the Emperor. Even though he had made promises to the Supreme of the Pantheon, he still entrusted a trusted aide with its safekeeping, wary that if it fell into the wrong hands it would never return.

As a confidant of the Emperor, if his counterpart intended to kill Eunuch Lian, he would surely shatter the Divine Talisman before his death…

This heavy trust moved Li Che deeply.

Fang Han Shu’s eyes darkened as he murmured, “Ah Che, are you planning to… seize the flag?”

If the Ju Xian Flag truly ended up in Xuan Zhen’s hands, his ability to cut through Qitian Inner City’s defenses would pose an immense threat.

A Supreme wielding such terrifying power could obliterate all the laid plans for Qitian City, reducing them to nothing.

Even the recently rebuilt Qitian Temple would stand no chance and collapse once again.

If Qitian Temple were to fall, Fang Han Shu would find it nearly impossible to rebuild it.

For months, Qitian Temple’s reputation had attracted scores of cultivators, rapidly expanding its strength to rival even a major Divine Sect.

All of this was thanks to Qitian Temple’s formidable renown. Once destroyed, its legendary status would be lost, and reuniting its forces would be an almost insurmountable task.

“We still need time… so we cannot let the Ju Xian Flag fall into Xuan Zhen’s hands,” Li Che stated gravely.

His voice deepened, “That’s why seizing the flag is imperative.”

“So, should I take action?” Fang Han Shu asked. His cultivation and combat prowess were impressive—he was half a step away from Supreme, merely awaiting the right opportunity.

Although devouring two Second Calamity elders’ spiritual confinements had accelerated his breakthrough to the Supreme realm, it still required time.

Crash—

The torrential rain pounded like columns, cascading from the dark skies onto the black tiles, splattering in a dreamlike spectacle.

Inside the room, a profound silence fell.

Suddenly, Li Che turned to Fang Han Shu as if recalling something.

“Old Fang, what exactly is the nature of Lie Shen Pavilion?”

“Are they allied with the Yulian camp?”

Li Che remembered that Fang Han Shu also held the identity of a Lie Shen Assassin. Within the Bizarre Temple, Lie Shen Pavilion was an enigmatic force, as formidable and mysterious as the Pantheon.

Fang Han Shu paused before replying, “Lie Shen Pavilion… is at odds with all factions of the Pantheon. Their sole target is to hunt deities—whether it be the revived Temple Spirit or ancient divinities, all are fair game.”

“Hunting deities? Then they might have designs on the Daughter of Yulian?” Li Che raised an eyebrow and asked.

This organization was indeed shrouded in mystery—more so than the Corpse God Sect, which was covertly controlled by the Golden Cicada of the Western Lands of Buddhism. But who truly stood behind Lie Shen Pavilion remained a mystery to Li Che.

Even Fang Han Shu knew little; he had joined Lie Shen Pavilion after receiving guidance upon entering the Bizarre Temple, attracted by the abundant cultivation resources available within.

Taking a deep breath, Fang Han Shu admitted, “The Yulian camp… naturally has Lie Shen Pavilion watching closely. Their target in the Bizarre Temple is the deities of the Pantheon, which certainly includes the Daughter of Yulian.”

At these words, Li Che’s expression cleared, “Since our paths diverge, that simplifies things…”

“Old Fang, you still have your Lie Shen Assassin mask, right?”

Fang Han Shu immediately understood Li Che’s intention—this was a move to shift blame onto Lie Shen Pavilion…

And it wasn’t an entirely bad idea.

“Ah Che, doing this might offend a power like Lie Shen Pavilion, a force not any less formidable than the Pantheon,” Fang Han Shu remarked, his long beard fluttering in the rain-laden wind.

Li Che smiled lightly, “Back when our family journeyed from Jin Guang Mansion to Daocheng, we were targeted by Lie Shen Pavilion assassins.”

“So whether we offend them or not makes little difference to me,” he continued.

Fang Han Shu stroked his beard in thought before breaking into an amused smile, “Indeed… Lie Shen Pavilion has been blamed before. It’s not a big deal.”

“Right now, we’re still unaware of the direct path carved by the Dark Heavenly Court through the Bizarre Temple to Qitian City. But that’s fine… as long as Old Lian sticks to the plan.”

“Here.”

Eunuch Lian assented and, after offering a few more courteous words, dissipated into a wisp of black mist.

Between the pavilions, only Li Che and Fang Han Shu remained.

“Taking action is inevitable… We’re still too weak and must continue to grow stronger to buy time,” Li Che exhaled.

Fang Han Shu nodded solemnly, his face grave.

“At the Third Prince’s Bizarre Temple, due to Qitian’s premature revival, this operation… might draw forth actual deities from the Pantheon. Even if not full deities, beings on the verge of divinity may appear…”

Beings on the verge of divinity…

Li Che’s gaze dropped slightly. Even contending with Supremes was challenging enough; dealing with deities was far beyond his current capabilities…

He simply didn’t have enough cards to play.

Especially since his understanding of deities was still very limited.

What exactly was the realm of deities?

Every realm has its own hierarchy, and deities are no exception.

To secure a peaceful life where one could watch one’s daughter grow up requires tremendous responsibility and effort.

……

……

Fang Han Shu had written a letter to Lü Taibai, clearly stating that Li Che would return to Qianyuan Divine Sect with XiXi to inherit the leadership, providing Lü Taibai with peace of mind.

Naturally, Li Che had no reason to refuse Lü Taibai’s request. Their family had long enjoyed the protection of Qianyuan Divine Sect, and even though XiXi was growing stronger, abandoning Qianyuan Divine Sect was unthinkable.

Lü Taibai had always regarded XiXi as the young sect leader in training, and the disciples of Qianyuan Divine Sect recognized her as such.

However, Li Che did not immediately set out to return to Qianyuan Divine Sect with XiXi.

He planned to wait a little longer, as XiXi’s cultivation was at a critical juncture.

After bidding farewell to Fang Han Shu, Li Che stepped into the torrential rain. As the downpour enveloped him, an invisible field separated him from the sky.

He arrived at a courtyard in the Outer City.

The courtyard was vast, covering an enormous area. Officially, Qitian Outer City was governed by Fang Han Shu, but in reality, Li Che was the undisputed ruler of Qitian City.

Establishing a spacious courtyard for his family was a trivial matter in comparison.

Within the courtyard, Qi and blood churned as a gigantic Furnace of Qi and Blood blazed. The torrential rain that fell from the stormy skies evaporated above the searing molten furnace, with steaming mists swirling incessantly!

Inside the furnace was none other than XiXi’s form. Now, at eight years old, the little girl had grown noticeably taller than before.

Her little belly slightly retracted, and her chubby, round cheeks now had an extra touch of youthful adorableness.

Her two high ponytails were tied with red cords. She wore a red bellyband with a matching, embroidered Golden Lotus Ink Robe—a style identical to Li Che’s.

Barefoot, with her fingers clenched, she gripped the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear tightly. Constantly shifting her stance in the courtyard, the spear’s radiant light and purple flames roared like a rolling dragon!

The Yulian Fenghuo Jingguang Wheel suddenly burst forth, elevating her body and soaring into the skies.

The swirling Hun Tian Ling also spun rapidly, encircling XiXi like a lively, coiling dragon!

XiXi seemed to transform into raging flames, her Qi and blood bubbling fiercely!

Buzz—buzz—buzz—

High in the sky, XiXi opened her mouth and unleashed a torrent of searing heat!

Grasping the Purple-Flame Serpent Spear horizontally, she spread her arms wide, as every muscle and sinew trembled and burst forth with energy, echoing like a chorus of thunder!

Her entire body glowed as if illuminated from within, with boundless vital energy erupting from every fiber!

Boom—!!!

Like a shooting star, she crashed to the ground, and upon impact, wave after wave of heat burst forth around her like a tempest!

She brandished the long spear and began her martial techniques. Waves of formidable energy surged forth from her spear like rolling tides!

Above her head and on her broad shoulders, energies intertwined and gradually coalesced into blooming flowers, spinning and exuding an aura of profound mystery that vibrated the air!

Three blossoms atop—a sign of a grand master!

As XiXi wielded the long spear, the terrifying power within her churned upward, resonating powerfully with her spirit so that the Yulian divine markings on her brow almost ignited!

“Father!”

XiXi’s momentum subsided and she spotted Li Che strolling through the rain.

Excitedly, she shouted out, dragging the spear with one hand, and bounded quickly in his direction!

Then, leaping forward with arms and legs flailing, she crashed into Li Che’s embrace.

The eight-year-old XiXi clung to Li Che, her face beaming with a cheerful, silly smile.

This little girl loved to laugh—she laughed more as she grew older.

Whether eating, joking with Dog, or practicing martial arts with her friends, her laughter was always hearty.

She especially liked to start with an exclamation of “Wow,” followed by constant bouts of “Hahaha,” full of boldness and grandeur!

“Father! XiXi has reached the threshold of Martial Saint! She’s about to break through!”

XiXi’s eyes shone brilliantly, like stars embedded within.

Li Che couldn’t help but marvel at how talented this little girl was.

For over a year, the Boss had been feeding XiXi. Perhaps because she had grown much stronger, the ingredients provided by the Boss became even more lavish…

Her nourishment consisted of various exotic meats from demon kings and demon deities, along with mysterious, potent medicinal herbs brewed into exquisite dishes.

Nourished to be chubby and robust, XiXi’s martial cultivation advanced at a remarkable pace!

Her physical body grew tremendously strong, brimming with boundless vital energy.

Perhaps the Boss knew all too well that if XiXi were to withstand the Yulian curse, her body had to be formidable—thus continuously providing the best supplements to strengthen her flesh.

As for Li Che, he was never granted such luxuries; whenever he tried to sneak a bite, the Boss would sneer and dismiss him.

Of course, the Boss wasn’t entirely heartless—he would graciously allow Li Che a taste if he managed to procure fine ingredients.

Thus, Li Che had indeed enjoyed some good food over the past year.

Besides feasting, Li Che busied himself with refining XiXi’s body with his Martial Immortal will and reordering her golden qi and blood, steering her toward the formation of a True Martial body.

Moreover, employing the Dream Celestial Dao Fruit to enter her dreams, he allowed her to cultivate in her sleep, gaining the feedback amplification from the Dragon Elephant Vajra Dao Fruit!

However, as the Daughter of Yulian, her innate divine nature could not fully shield her. Unlike Li Che, XiXi could not attain the Martial Immortal Golden Body, so she had to follow the path of True Martial Invincibility.

Although the secrets of the True Martial path were closely guarded by the True Martial Divine Sect, for Li Che who had already embarked on the path of Martial Immortality, it posed little challenge.

Still, Li Che was amazed at how rapidly XiXi’s cultivation advanced!

At eight years old, already a grand master with three blossoms…

Not only due to the influence of her Martial Immortal bloodline but also because the innate talent brought by being the Daughter of Yulian was beginning to blossom!

The torrential rain hammered down as father and daughter left the courtyard and returned indoors.

Jin Taisui, Goldmane, Yun’e, Zhou Peng, and others had long been waiting—prepared with chilled watermelon slices, ready to quench XiXi’s thirst after her cultivation session.

Li Che nibbled a piece of his daughter’s watermelon while recounting Lü Taibai’s invitation for her to return and assume the mantle of sect leader.

At the news, XiXi’s eyes lit up instantly.

She jumped around the room in excitement!

She already envisioned herself as a grand sect leader, picturing how she would domineer the role when she took over Lü Taibai’s Taibai Hall. She had even decided on a majestic name for the hall after removing its old plaque from Taibai Peak.

XiXi’s sect leadership would see Taibai Peak renamed as XiDi Peak! The Palace Corridors would become XiDi Hall!

Invincible!

XiXi’s eyes sparkled, her face flushed as excitement made her little body tremble with anticipation!

Watching XiXi fantasize about inheriting the Divine Sect leadership, Li Che shook his head and patted her head.

“Little girl, being a sect leader is not just about status—it comes with great responsibility… Are you prepared to shoulder those burdens?”

Li Che asked softly, though he did not demand an answer.

In time, XiXi would come to understand the duties of a sect leader.

The cicadas sang throughout the summer as autumn waters began to ripple.

An autumn rain brought with it a hint of chill.

Since learning that the Emperor was willing to lend the Ju Xian Flag to the Supreme of the Dark Heavenly Court, Li Che had instructed Eunuch Lian to keep a close watch.

Yet unexpectedly, the Emperor did not immediately hand over the Ju Xian Xuan Flag, leaving the Supreme envoy waiting.

Li Che remained unfazed. If the Emperor chose not to lend the Ju Xian Flag, so be it; but if he did lend it to Xuan Zhen, hoping to aid the Supreme in breaking through Qitian Inner City and eliminating the human Martial Immortal and Ghost Emperor, then Li Che would not hesitate.

Autumn rain fell steadily as the maple trees in the courtyard began to glow with embers of red.

Li Che held Zhang Ya’s hand as they left the courtyard, strolling along the riverbank in Qitian Outer City.

Raindrops fell onto the tranquil river, forming ripples that expanded in gentle circles.

Zhang Ya’s eyes were filled with tenderness and serene contentment.

“My love… days like these are truly wonderful,”

she said softly, her arm linked with Li Che’s as she gazed at the rippling water.

Li Che smiled, “These peaceful days are the envy of all. I’m striving hard so that we can truly live in such tranquility.”

“You work so hard…” Zhang Ya replied, resting her cheek against Li Che’s arm, her eyes distant and dreamy.

Unbeknownst to them, their daughter had turned eight. Their family had grown to heights beyond their wildest dreams.

“Sect Master Taibai has sent another letter urging us. We’re set to depart for Qianyuan in a few days.”

Li Che patted Zhang Ya’s head and said, “Mm.”

“Before we know it, our little XiXi will be a sect leader.”

……

……

Three days later.

The autumn wind blew briskly, turning the maple leaves in the courtyard a fiery red.

The vibrant, rustling maple leaves crackled as if ablaze.

In the courtyard,

Li Che slowly opened his eyes; the mud pellet on his brow trembled slightly as the Cosmic Chessboard burst forth and expanded in an instant, shooting toward the sky.

Before him, golden light flowed, intertwining like mist.

[Dao Fruit: Chess Sage (LV6 98%)]

After more than a year, the maturation of the Chess Sage Dao Fruit advanced very slowly. Without any special circumstances, its natural growth was indeed sluggish.

Those Dao Fruits that had reached the LV7 stage scarcely grew at all.

Li Che sighed, realizing why so many Dao Fruit masters were stuck at the eighth transformation, unable to break into the ninth…

He wondered if he, too, might one day hit this bottleneck.

In the end, XiXi still hadn’t managed to break through to the Martial Saint realm; it seemed she was just missing that critical spark.

XiXi felt regret and sulked.

She was convinced that she had accumulated enough, yet somehow she always fell just short.

Li Che understood the reason and informed her that they would soon return to Qianyuan Divine Sect so that she could inherit the sect leader’s position.

At these words, a smile spread across XiXi’s face, casting aside all her worries.

Even when Fang Han Shu chided her for reading, she laughed heartily.

“Grand Elder, bye-bye! XiXi is heading back to Qianyuan Divine Sect!”

At the gate of Qitian Outer City,

XiXi waved happily at Fang Han Shu.

Fang Han Shu’s face softened into a loving smile—as the little girl’s joy was so infectious that she even forgot to call him the Master of the Dark Lair.

This time, the return to Qianyuan Divine Sect wasn’t just for Li Che’s family; Li Qingshan, Granny Mu, and others were also coming along.

Li Che had no intention of meandering his way back. At the slightest impulse, Mo City Fengdu would activate, gathering XiXi and the rest.

Then Li Che raised his hand and tapped his brow, and the Cosmic Chessboard expanded to its utmost degree.

Flying Star Transposition!

With one step, Li Che seemed to traverse time and space…

Rumbling loudly—

As if colorful radiance were rushing past like a turning galaxy!

With surging Qi and blood, Li Che’s body shone while his Martial Immortal Golden Body resounded mightily, every pore erupting with dazzling brilliance!

Between heaven and earth, as vital energy circulated, Li Che’s pores dilated, absorbing the essence around him. This process, however, wasn’t pure; he had to block out divine nature.

Otherwise, if divine nature were absorbed, it would corrupt the purity of his Martial Immortal Golden Body.

Buzz—buzz—buzz—

After merely a few instances of Flying Star Transposition, Li Che left Qitian City and returned to the Lingnan Path region.

One more step and he was outside Daocheng.

Howling winds and raging gales whipped past as Li Che stood on the Main Road outside Daocheng. The trees on both sides were lush; despite it being autumn, these towering trees remained vibrantly green and flourishing.

“Hoo—”

“Sigh—”

In and out, his breath echoed as he exhaled.

Li Che’s muscles trembled as he gathered his Qi. A glance revealed flowing golden light; a simple survey of his Chess Sage Dao Fruit showed little change in its maturity.

Hmm?

Li Che’s eyes brightened slightly.

[Dao Fruit: Temporal Golden Wheel (LV1 10%)]

To his surprise, the Temporal Golden Wheel—just obtained this year—had already gained a bit of maturity.

Flying Star Transposition could indeed promote the maturation of this Dao Fruit?

Li Che was delighted, though the improvement was modest.

Achieving a full transformation still remained a distant prospect.

The Cosmic Chessboard loomed above Daocheng, and Li Che’s brows furrowed. Within the Daocheng, numerous powerful auras lay sealed, hidden from the perception of heaven and earth’s will.

Clearly, they all targeted the mysterious Three-Eyed True Lord of the Mysterious Dao at the Bizarre Temple…

Qitian Temple Spirit’s premature revival had indeed created significant repercussions.

Meanwhile, the situation at Jin Guang Mansion was truly dire. Forces from all sides had gathered, amping up the divine concentration in the mansion to levels even surpassing that of Daocheng.

So many mighty experts had converged!

But it wasn’t a problem.

Shaking his head, Li Che snapped his fingers, and in an instant, everyone in Mo City Fengdu was released.

“Wow—are we here already?”

XiXi blinked,

Her eyes filled with familiar recognition as she beheld the city. Her gaze shimmered, and a broad smile spread across her face.

At seven, she had left Qianyuan to cultivate.

Now, over eight years old, she returned to Qianyuan.

Years had passed, and XiXi had experienced so much, her longing for Qianyuan deepening.

Buzz—!!!

Above the firmament, swords clashed in a dazzling display, ringing out with resounding clangs.

A magnificent sword aura swept in from the skies.

Lü Taibai, with silver hair flowing and his broad sleeves billowing, stepped onto the battlefield amidst the sword light, his eyes sparkling with joyful surprise.

“Hahahahaha! My treasured disciple, you have finally returned!”

“I missed you to death, Master!”

Lü Taibai roared with laughter, his booming voice echoing throughout the city.

Inside Daocheng, many powerful experts instinctively activated their heavenly souls as the sweeping aura approached.

The Daughter of Yulian!

Many hidden powerful figures from the Pantheon narrowed their eyes as their soul auras trembled.

She had actually returned to Daocheng?!

Lü Taibai snorted, and his magnificent sword intent swirled like a storm throughout the city, causing the probing soul auras to recoil.

Lü Taibai welcomed Li Che, XiXi, and the others back to Qianyuan Divine Sect with a flamboyant display of sword intent and unbridled arrogance.

“There’s no helping it. With so many powerful forces in Daocheng nowadays, the city’s momentum cannot be allowed to weaken… otherwise, when that momentum fades, these powerful experts will surge upward on the bandwagon.”

Lü Taibai scoffed.

Li Che nodded. When the time came, one had to be firm—a soft target was easily manipulated.

Upon XiXi’s return to Qianyuan Divine Sect, there was an immediate uproar.

“The young sect leader is back!”

“Hahaha—Daocheng’s young disciples, your XiXi Lord has returned!”

Qianyuan Divine Sect trembled as countless disciples, having long secluded themselves in seclusion, emerged.

Figures such as Lü Qingxuan, Yang Yi, Chi Chengyan, and Zhuo Banxiang—once known as the fledgling dragons—stepped out.

These fledgling dragons had now broken through to the Grand Master realm, each exuding grandeur and fighting spirit.

Yet compared to XiXi, who was now charging toward Martial Saint with all her might, they paled in comparison.

With XiXi’s return, Lü Taibai began preparing for the grand ancestral ceremony where she would inherit the sect leader’s mantle.

Lü Taibai concentrated his sword intent and dashed out to send signals via prearranged sword invitation messages to the major Divine Sect leaders across the cities and in the Divine Capital, inviting them to witness the ceremony.

Meanwhile, after returning to Qianyuan Divine Sect, XiXi seemed to undergo a subtle transformation of her inner state.

Her three blossoms pulsed and her Qi ignited.

Stirring up the entire Qianyuan Divine Sect, surging like tidal waves, the will of heaven and earth resounded mightily!

The Martial Saint bottleneck that had troubled XiXi for so long was shattered as she broke through with a triumphant return.

XiXi refused to let this opportunity pass!

With unwavering determination, amidst a clamor like thunder…

She propelled a medicinal pill with sheer force!

The eight-year-old girl officially charged toward the Martial Saint realm!

……

……

In the Great Jing Divine Capital.

In the Palace Shrine.

In the Sky Palace.

The Emperor sat regally upon the Dragon Throne; his bright yellow robe fluttered as the merging of divine aura and Dao essence adorned his face, his eyes piercingly cold.

Rumbling—

Director Ye Pengju of the Temple Guardian Division clenched his fist and blocked a stream of sword light, a massive aura surging in his wake.

He strode into the hall and spread his sword light, revealing the invitation Lü Taibai had prepared for the ancestral ceremony.

The Divine Sect’s ancestral ceremony had always been attended by the Imperial family.

But since Qianyuan Divine Sect had long turned its back on the Imperial Court, inviting the Emperor to the ceremony was undoubtedly a provocative act in his eyes.

The Emperor suddenly swept his sleeve, unleashing a terrifying force that instantly shattered Lü Taibai’s sword intent into fragments!

As the shattered remnants of sword intent mingled into the shape of the word “Ha,” they brimmed with scornful ridicule.

The Emperor couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh. With a sudden gesture, he beckoned Eunuch Lian and departed from the Sky Palace.

He then ascended to the Imperial Mausoleum.

Clenching his fist, a flag bearing the Ju Xian Xuan Flag fluttered into his grasp.

Seated cross-legged within his black robe, the venerable figure slowly opened his eyes.

The Emperor’s bright yellow robe billowed dramatically.

“I did agree, but after the Xuanzhen Supreme annihilates the Ghost Emperor, you will do me one little favor.”

“Kill! Kill Lü Taibai and take his head!”

“Help me exterminate Qianyuan Divine Sect!”