In the utterly silent void, a faint cracking sound echoed from the depths of the Abyss of Nothingness.

  A furious gale erupted from the passage entrance, carrying an icy, murderous chill that surged forth from the ancient starry sky beyond.

  On the warships, every powerhouse of the Five Phoenixes narrowed their eyes.

  Even the Profound Immortals felt an overwhelming pressure descend like dark clouds.

  It was Emperor Realm might!

  “They’re here!”

  The Hegemon, Sima Qingshan, Tang Yimo, and others spoke in unison.

  The Innate Divine Demons that Young Master Lu had warned of—terrifying beings born to destroy worlds!

  The weakest among them were already at Emperor Realm!

  Deep within the Abyss of Nothingness,

  Tantai Xuan, who had been sitting motionless like an immovable rock, finally stirred. His eyes flickered as the Life-and-Death Register before him continuously turned its pages.

  He looked up.

  Micah, standing behind him, also raised his head, following Tantai Xuan’s gaze.

  A terrifying figure shot forth from beyond the passage.

  BOOM!

  With a shattering sound,

  a black shadow slammed into the passage entrance.

  A claw emerged, riding the spatial fluctuations, and smashed down hard.

  It was a claw formed entirely of white bone, covered in dense, eerie patterns that seemed to embody some profound meaning—the engraving of rules.

  Gradually, as the figure fully emerged from the passage, its form became clear.

  This was an Innate Divine Demon with a humanoid shape. Its aura was overwhelmingly powerful, its body clad in armor of white bone spikes, each engraved with ancient runes.

  “Kekeke…”

  “Humans!”

  The Divine Demon’s eyes were pure black, like thick ink.

  Yet within that blackness gleamed star-like lights. Its gaze shifted and locked onto Tantai Xuan, who stood blocking the passage. Every bone spike on its body bristled, transforming into razor-sharp protrusions.

  “Truly a newborn world… and it has already given birth to a new Heavenly Dao. What a delicious scent… such rich ‘Dao Origin’!”

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon opened its mouth, saliva dripping down.

  “The ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven did not deceive me!”

  BOOM!

  Terrifying power erupted as it fully burst out of the passage.

  Unlike the first Divine Demon that had been stuck, this one’s aura was far stronger. With the passage now torn wide open, it faced no obstruction.

  Micah’s pupils contracted sharply.

  “So the ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven really betrayed the Five Phoenixes! What did they promise you?”

  Rage surged in Micah’s heart.

  He had only suspected before, but this Divine Demon’s words confirmed everything.

  The ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven had colluded with these Primordial Starry Sky Divine Demons!

  That meant everything the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor had done—sitting alone in the starry sky for hundreds of thousands of years—had been in vain.

  Micah clenched his fists.

  Though he had once resented the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor, deep down he still admired him. After all, the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor had brought glory to the Heavenly Spirit Clan.

  Yet that glorious figure had been betrayed and killed by those very ancient Great Emperors.

  “They are wise. Faced with irresistible power, they chose to compromise. They are very smart.”

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon’s saliva continued to drip uncontrollably.

  BOOM!

  Its body transformed into a streak of white light, shooting through the Abyss of Nothingness.

  Tantai Xuan’s eyes snapped open.

  His cold face was filled with murderous intent.

  “No matter where the hell you crawled out from… as long as I, the Nether Emperor, stand here, you will not take a single step into the Five Phoenixes!”

  The next moment, Tantai Xuan’s black robes whipped wildly as he charged straight at the Bone Spike Divine Demon.

  The Life-and-Death Register flipped open, unleashing torrents of life-and-death qi that formed streaks of energy.

  Tantai Xuan closed in, arms raised as though embracing a mountain, and shoved the Bone Spike Divine Demon backward.

  He slammed it back into the passage.

  But from the passage entrance, a second Divine Demon rushed forth.

  BOOM!

  The two Divine Demons collided, unleashing a terrifying energy storm.

  “Emperor Realm… this world actually has Emperor Realm cultivators. What a nuisance!”

  “The ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven told us we could slip in unnoticed. What a load of crap.”

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon cursed, its gaze turning even more sinister.

  The other Divine Demon resembled a sharp steel blade—its arms and legs were razor-sharp edges.

  Its overwhelming aura sent chills through the soul.

  Tantai Xuan hovered in the Abyss of Nothingness, back turned to them. Above his head, the Life-and-Death Register rained down life-and-death qi, causing his aura to boil.

  Faintly, he was approaching the peak of Third-Revolution Golden Immortal.

  “Get lost.”

  “Or die.”

  Tantai Xuan said coldly.

  He deeply felt the weight of the responsibility on his shoulders. The Divine Demons of the Primordial Starry Sky were indeed as terrifying as Young Master Lu had warned.

  Two had appeared casually, and both were early Emperor Realm—on par with him.

  Without the Life-and-Death Register as an Emperor Weapon, Tantai Xuan would already be in a bitter struggle.

  “We Divine Demons were born from the source of chaos. Heavenly Daos are our food. Before food, why would we ever choose to flee?”

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon and Blade Divine Demon sneered.

  Then, terrifying energy surged from their bodies—strange waves rippling outward.

  They attacked Tantai Xuan from bizarre, unpredictable angles.

  “You cannot stop us! This world is doomed! Its Heavenly Dao will become our meal!”

  …

  In the Ninth Heaven,

  outside the Abyss of Nothingness,

  void rifts tore open, revealing long fissures.

  Within those fissures, illusory figures hovered, casting their gazes through the thick fog.

  They could clearly see the terrifying clashes within.

  “The passage has opened. Two Innate Divine Demons have been discovered.”

  “The Five Phoenixes already have Emperor Realm cultivators intercepting them… As expected, Lu Ping’an was prepared.”

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  “The moment the Primordial Starry Sky passage appeared, it brought enormous calamity. Back when the Ninth Heaven opened its own passage to the Primordial Starry Sky, it ushered in an endless dark age. Countless Emperor Realm powerhouses fell at the passage entrance.”

  “Even several Peak Emperor powerhouses died before the passage was finally stabilized, granting the Ninth Heaven a chance to develop in peace.”

  “At that time, the Ninth Heaven was at its absolute peak, with nine Peak Emperors, and yet it struggled so greatly. The Five Phoenixes is far weaker than the Ninth Heaven of that era.”

  “Let alone Peak Emperors—even Great Emperors number only one: Lu Ping’an.”

  “How can the Five Phoenixes possibly resist these ferocious Divine Demons?”

  The ancient Great Emperors communicated with one another, their primordial spirit fluctuations laced with mockery and schadenfreude.

  “But if the Five Phoenixes truly falls, it won’t be good news for the Ninth Heaven either…”

  “Once the Five Phoenixes collapses, those Divine Demons will pour out from the Abyss of Nothingness, turning it into an unstable passage.”

  “No matter. The passage has only just opened. At most, it can allow entry to low-tier and high-tier Divine Demons… Immortal-tier Divine Demons cannot pass through a newly opened passage.”

  “As long as there are no Immortal-tier Divine Demons, they pose no threat to us.”

  The ancient Great Emperors’ conversation gradually died down.

  Their gazes remained fixed on the Abyss of Nothingness, as though waiting for the Five Phoenixes to be destroyed under the terrifying onslaught.

  They seemed to be witnessing the same misfortune that had once befallen the Ninth Heaven.

  …

  At the Origin Lake, on the central island,

  “They’re here?”

  Lu sat back in his Thousand-Blade Chair. Spring warmth and blooming flowers surrounded him. A gentle breeze blew, making everything feel serene.

  Yet at this moment, Lu looked quite solemn.

  Although he had learned much about Innate Divine Demons from the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor’s memories, even the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor’s knowledge was far from complete.

  He only knew that Innate Divine Demons varied greatly in strength.

  The strongest could surpass Peak Emperors and destroy entire worlds with ease.

  Thus, Lu became serious.

  The Spirit-Pressure Chessboard shimmered with light. It had long since reached the level of an Innate Spiritual Treasure. The chessboard grew alongside Lu—strengthening as his aura deepened.

  That was the true power of the Spirit-Pressure Chessboard.

  Lu rolled up his sleeves and picked up a chess piece.

  His white robes fluttered in the wind.

  Ning Zhao stood quietly beside him, pouring him a cup of Heavenly Immortal Wine.

  The rich fragrance of the wine enveloped the entire island, mingling with the scent of peach and chrysanthemum blossoms, creating an idyllic paradise.

  Lu slowly placed the chess piece on the board, setting up a formation—something he often did. Ning Zhao was not surprised.

  She simply continued brewing wine and refilling his cup.

  Everything on the island was peaceful.

  Yet for some reason, Ning Zhao felt as though a massive storm was brewing.

  Snap!

  As Lu placed the piece, vast destiny seemed to be stirred.

  …

  In the Abyss of Nothingness,

  the Bone Spike Divine Demon and Blade Divine Demon charged out with eerie speed. Suddenly, thick destiny surged forth, forming a massive, ancient fortress that blocked their path.

  The two Divine Demons narrowed their eyes but sensed no threat from it.

  In the next moment, they shot left and right like ghosts, crashing into the destiny-formed fortress.

  BOOM!

  The fortress did not collapse.

  But the two Divine Demons burst through it.

  Tantai Xuan and Micah, already prepared for battle, were momentarily stunned.

  Because as the Bone Spike Divine Demon and Blade Divine Demon passed through the fortress, they became tainted with vast destiny.

  Just like the ferocious beasts during the Age of Ferocious Beasts.

  Tantai Xuan narrowed his eyes. Brilliant light surged within them.

  The two Divine Demons now looked like delicacies coated in breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

  The destiny clinging to them was deeply attractive to both Tantai Xuan and Micah.

  Under normal circumstances, accumulating enough destiny to reach Third-Revolution Golden Immortal would take an extremely long time.

  But if they could slay a Divine Demon, it would be much easier.

  Tantai Xuan and Micah exchanged a glance.

  Then both smiled.

  Calamity… or fortune!

  At this moment, they no longer felt fear—only anticipation and excitement.

  If originally they fought the Divine Demons only to protect the Five Phoenixes, now, with their deaths tied to destiny, they had one more reason to kill them.

  Tantai Xuan erupted with terrifying aura. The Life-and-Death Register flipped rapidly.

  Micah unleashed his Extreme Realm Emperor Fist.

  They clashed with the Bone Spike Divine Demon and Blade Divine Demon.

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon was held back by Tantai Xuan, while Micah battled the Blade Divine Demon.

  As the fight continued, the two Divine Demons gradually sensed something wrong.

  “Why are they getting stronger the longer we fight?!”

  “Didn’t the ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven say these Emperor Realm cultivators had just broken through and lacked combat experience?”

  The two Divine Demons exchanged a glance. Immense pressure erupted.

  BOOM!

  The next moment, the Bone Spike Divine Demon let out a piercing howl.

  Every bone spike on its body shot outward.

  Each spike transformed into a bone demon in midair.

  The bone demons screeched and surged like a flood, attempting to bypass Tantai Xuan and Micah and escape the abyss—rushing toward the Five Phoenixes.

  “As long as one bone demon escapes, it can act like a parasite, devouring this world’s Heavenly Dao and absorbing Dao Origin to grow stronger!”

  “Kekeke… as long as one bone demon enters, this world is doomed!”

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon sneered.

  Over the years, Innate Divine Demons had developed countless methods to destroy worlds. Every world had its resisters. Devouring a world’s Heavenly Dao was far too difficult without some tricks.

  Survival of the fittest.

  Without such methods, they would have starved long ago.

  Thus, they had evolved the ability to create countless avatars.

  Tantai Xuan transformed into the Nether Emperor, his face cold and merciless.

  He glanced at the tide of white bone demons surging like a flood, trying to break through the Abyss of Nothingness’ defenses.

  He sneered coldly.

  If this had been at the beginning, he would have been flustered, even distracted during battle.

  But now, he could entrust his back to the people of the Five Phoenixes without worry.

  He was not fighting alone.

  Any foreign race that dared try to destroy the Five Phoenixes would be exterminated!

  Tantai Xuan held the Life-and-Death Register and seemed to chant an ancient incantation.

  “Where are the Netherworld Yin Soldiers?!”

  Tantai Xuan roared.

  In the next moment,

  beyond the Abyss of Nothingness,

  a Yellow Springs seemed to unfurl from the sky. Rebirth flowers bloomed in brilliant splendor.

  Clanging sounds rang out as dense ranks of Yin Soldiers marched forth.

  Hell Hounds roared, wrapped in infernal flames.

  The nine city lords of the dead led the Yin Soldiers, forming a powerful defensive line outside the abyss.

  As the bone demons surged out of the abyss,

  they were intercepted by the Yin Soldiers, and battle erupted.

  “They’re here!”

  The Hegemon, Tang Yimo, and other powerhouses’ eyes lit up.

  On the warships, the cultivators of the Five Phoenixes all shone with battle intent.

  They could not interfere in Emperor Realm battles, but…

  these small bone demons would not escape their defenses and infiltrate the Five Phoenixes!

  The Hegemon transformed into a demonic figure, demonic qi surging.

  Tang Yimo opened six meridians, shattering a bone demon with a single punch.

  As they fought, they discovered they could draw faint strands of destiny from these bone demons.

  This fueled their battle intent even further!

  The Blade Divine Demon fighting Micah also released countless blade fragments—shards that detached from its body and transformed into blade demons.

  But the outcome was the same as the bone demons—they were intercepted by Five Phoenix cultivators.

  The Golden Crow Demon Saint swept past with spread wings. Solar divine fire blazed, incinerating numerous blade demons in an instant.

  On the other side,

  the newly reunited twelve Witch Kings refused to be outdone.

  Leading the Witch Race, they grabbed blade demons and tore into them with savage ferocity.

  In the Abyss of Nothingness,

  the Bone Spike Divine Demon and Blade Divine Demon, locked in battle with Tantai Xuan and Micah, suddenly changed expressions.

  “Damn it!”

  “The ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven deceived us!”

  “This is what they call unprepared?”

  “What’s with those ferocious creatures outside? Is this a trap?!”

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon roared.

  But Tantai Xuan burst into laughter.

  Sensing the Divine Demons’ fear, he felt immense satisfaction.

  Micah, lacking an Emperor Weapon, was at a disadvantage against the Blade Divine Demon.

  Yet during the battle, he gradually realized he didn’t need an Emperor Weapon at all.

  His fists were his weapon.

  The Extreme Realm Emperor Fist underwent sublimation once more, its power surging!

  The two Divine Demons had barely emerged from the passage before they were already suppressed.

  BOOM!

  Soon, another roar erupted from the passage entrance.

  Vaguely, it seemed another Innate Divine Demon was about to descend.

  The Bone Spike Divine Demon and Blade Divine Demon both revealed delighted expressions.

  “Kekeke!”

  “So what if you’re prepared?!”

  “Unleash the dark age upon this world! Feel the terror brought by us Divine Demons!”

  So what if they were blocked?

  As long as this newly opened passage remained unstable, the scent of the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao would continuously attract more Divine Demons from the Primordial Starry Sky.

  It was the scent of delicious food. Under its allure, even Divine Demons slumbering on distant Primordial Stars would awaken from their dreams—growing ever more frenzied.

  In time, the Five Phoenixes would face more and more powerful Divine Demons.

  As time passed, high-tier Divine Demons… even Immortal-tier Divine Demons…

  Tantai Xuan and Micah’s expressions changed slightly.

  They looked toward the passage entrance.

  The passage rippled. A powerful being was forcing its way through.

  At this moment, the Bone Spike Divine Demon and Blade Divine Demon were no longer anxious.

  As more Divine Demons gathered,

  the Five Phoenixes’ handful of Emperor Realm cultivators would be unable to withstand the onslaught. As those Emperor Realm cultivators fell, the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao would be like a peeled orange—ready to be devoured.

  “Kekeke…”

  A sharp laugh echoed from the passage entrance.

  A female Divine Demon emerged, her disheveled hair writhing like venomous snakes.

  After passing through the destiny fortress, she locked onto Tantai Xuan and Micah.

  Meanwhile, Lu Jiulian, seated outside the Abyss of Nothingness, finally moved.

  He flicked his finger. The Azure Lotus Sword whistled forth. Stepping onto the sword light, he charged into the abyss.

  The female Divine Demon about to ambush Tantai Xuan suddenly turned her head.

  A sword light slashed past her.

  One of her venomous snake hairs was severed, spraying thick poison.

  Lu Jiulian’s sword qi surged. Around him, each petal of the azure lotus transformed into an incomparably sharp sword beam.

  “Another Emperor Realm…”

  The female Divine Demon narrowed her eyes.

  The next moment, she let out a piercing shriek and clashed with Lu Jiulian.

  Terrifying shockwaves erupted, widening the abyss even further.

  Whenever the Divine Demons released their avatars to infiltrate the Five Phoenixes, they were intercepted and slain by the Five Phoenix cultivators stationed outside the abyss.

  At the passage entrance,

  it continued to writhe.

  Powerful auras surged as one Divine Demon after another emerged.

  Four… five… six…

  The number of Divine Demons grew steadily.

  …

  In the Ninth Heaven,

  beyond the void rift,

  ancient Great Emperors’ auras intertwined as they watched the terrifying carnage unfolding in the Abyss of Nothingness.

  Buzz…

  Array runes floated. From deep within the rift, a powerful presence seemed to radiate doubt.

  “Why hasn’t Lu Ping’an made a move yet?”

  “Is this kid deliberately messing with us? Like he did with the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor?”

  “But this is already the ninth Innate Divine Demon…”

  “Hmm? Could it be… Lu Ping’an deliberately allowed these Innate Divine Demons to enter?”

  “We’ve been tricked.”

  BOOM!

  From deep within the void rift, a supreme aura erupted. Array runes surged.

  …

  At the Origin Lake, on the central island,

  Lu leaned back in his Thousand-Blade Chair.

  The corners of his mouth curved upward.

  “The tenth… perfect. That makes ten.”

  “Oh? They noticed…”

  Lu raised an eyebrow. Lines danced in his eyes.

  He saw the array runes above the passage in the Abyss of Nothingness surge, spatial fluctuations erupting as though trying to seal the passage.

  The tenth Divine Demon was caught in the passage, unable to advance or retreat.

  Lu smiled, playing with a chess piece in his hand.

  “Too late.”

  Looking at the early-tier Divine Demon struggling helplessly in the passage entrance, Lu casually tossed the chess piece.

  After all, who said he, Lu Ping’an, loved helping others the most?

  The chess piece landed on the board and rolled.

  With a soft “snap,” it settled into place.

  At the passage entrance, the Eight Trigrams array runes suddenly erupted with profound mystery.

  The passage that had been closing was forced open once more.

  The struggling tenth Divine Demon burst forth in wild excitement.