In the Ninth Heaven,

  beyond the void rift,

  the atmosphere grew frigid. The illusory figures of numerous ancient Great Emperors hovered in silence, gazing toward the Five Phoenix Continent.

  They were certain now: Lu Ping’an was playing some trick.

  Why?

  Because when Ancient Emperor Hao attempted to seal the passage connecting the Primordial Starry Sky to the Five Phoenixes, he had been blocked by Lu.

  Lu had used array runes to tear the passage open once more, allowing the tenth Innate Divine Demon from the Primordial Starry Sky to enter the Five Phoenixes.

  This…

  It was practically an admission of guilt!

  Even the slowest among the ancient Great Emperors present could now clearly sense that they had been played by Lu Ping’an.

  “Lu Ping’an deliberately allowed ten Innate Divine Demons to enter… Does he have some purpose?”

  “Could he be extracting benefits from them? Perhaps he’s after the treasures and resources they hoard from the Primordial Starry Sky? It’s very possible—after all, the Emperor Realm cultivators of the Five Phoenixes need materials to forge Emperor Weapons, and the best materials come from the remnants of Primordial Stars.”

  No matter how the ancient Great Emperors argued,

  one thing was clear: by guiding the Innate Divine Demons into the Five Phoenixes, they had unintentionally fulfilled Lu Ping’an’s plans.

  This left them deeply dissatisfied.

  BOOM!

  From deep within the rift, that supremely powerful presence erupted with terrifying aura.

  In the next moment, nine-character array runes surged violently.

  …

  In the Abyss of Nothingness,

  terrifying pressure continued to spread, the silence carrying an eerie strangeness.

  Ten Innate Divine Demons had emerged from the passage and now hovered within the abyss. Their overwhelming demonic auras filled every corner.

  Tantai Xuan’s expression grew grave.

  Micah’s pupils contracted slightly.

  Ten Innate Divine Demons—though their individual strength was roughly on par with theirs, the sheer number created an oppressive sense of threat.

  The tenth Divine Demon, meanwhile, was puzzled and wary.

  Earlier, someone had tried to seal the passage, trapping it inside.

  But then…

  The passage had been forced open again, allowing it to enter the Five Phoenixes.

  This sudden tightening and loosening felt deeply unsettling.

  Divine Demons were not fools—they possessed intelligence.

  This anomaly made them vaguely sense something amiss.

  For a moment, the ten Divine Demons gathered together in the abyss.

  On the other side,

  the Golden Immortals of the Five Phoenixes also rose into the air, their auras surging powerfully.

  Outside the abyss,

  the battle continued. The small monsters spawned from the Divine Demons’ avatars tried to break through the defensive line and infiltrate the Five Phoenixes, but the Five Phoenix cultivators held firm, allowing not a single one to advance.

  Moreover, the destiny contained within these avatars allowed many Five Phoenix cultivators to break through.

  For example, the Hegemon—who had been one step away from quasi-Emperor—finally stepped into that realm.

  Sima Qingshan unfurled his ink-wash scroll. The scroll created a world of its own, swallowing the Divine Demon avatars and annihilating them instantly.

  Thus, he too received a massive influx of destiny.

  Combined with the immense destiny he had already accumulated through his contributions to the path of painting and cultivation, Sima Qingshan broke through to quasi-Emperor in this battle, his aura growing ever stronger.

  The Demon Race and Witch Race, though they had fought bitterly before, now united against the existential threat to the Five Phoenixes.

  They even turned the battle into a competition: whoever slew more Divine Demon avatars would win.

  Thus, the abyss became a clear dividing line.

  No Divine Demon avatar could cross it.

  Within the abyss,

  the ten Divine Demons gradually realized something was wrong.

  “We’ve been tricked…”

  “The ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven deceived us. Just now… they tried to seal the passage!”

  “This world’s inhabitants were fully prepared. Our avatars can’t break through their defenses—this is completely different from what those ancient Great Emperors told us. Damn it!”

  “If we can return alive from this world, we must report this to the Immortal-tier!”

  The Divine Demons’ exchanges revealed their growing panic.

  This gave Tantai Xuan and the others a moment to catch their breath.

  Tantai Xuan narrowed his eyes, the Life-and-Death Register hovering above his head.

  Micah panted lightly, staring intently at the ten Divine Demons.

  Lu Jiulian and Zhu Long also wore grave expressions.

  …

  At the Origin Lake, on the central island,

  Lu smiled.

  Ten Divine Demons—exactly what he needed to complete his special task.

  Moreover, Lu had a feeling that once he finished this task, the Five Phoenixes might finally be ready to attempt ascension to Immortal-Martial.

  If the Five Phoenixes succeeded in ascending to Immortal-Martial, every being within would experience a massive leap in strength.

  Lu’s eyes shone brightly.

  “Divine Demons devour Heavenly Daos… within their bodies dwell the power of rules. Each Divine Demon represents a form of order and law.”

  “I wonder if the Heavenly Dao can devour the power of Divine Demons to perfect its own rules?”

  Lu stroked his chin, pondering.

  But soon he set the thought aside. His gaze shifted toward the Abyss of Nothingness.

  The passage had been resealed the moment he allowed the tenth Divine Demon through.

  But this seal was temporary.

  The Primordial Starry Sky contained immense power that constantly tore at the passage.

  It was difficult to fully close; it could only be suppressed, delaying its reopening.

  Still…

  It was enough.

  Ten Innate Divine Demons were sufficient for Lu to complete his task.

  He was also very curious what rewards this task would bring.

  Seated in his Thousand-Blade Chair,

  Lu’s eyes reflected the images of the ten Divine Demons.

  For now, he did not rush to act personally.

  These ten Divine Demons were perfect training partners.

  Their strength had not yet reached Great Emperor level—ideal for Lu Jiulian, Tantai Xuan, and the others to hone themselves against.

  Perhaps this time… they could break through to Great Emperor realm?

  Raising his hand, he placed another piece on the chessboard, as though playing a grand game.

  …

  Buzz…

  In the Abyss of Nothingness,

  the Divine Demons suddenly felt immense pressure.

  They looked up and saw a chessboard slowly unfurling at the top of the abyss.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Soon it covered the entire sky.

  “What is that?”

  “It looks like a human Emperor Realm domain…”

  “Didn’t this world only have newly ascended Emperors? How can it so easily envelop us in a domain? Does this newborn Heavenly Dao world actually possess a human Great Emperor comparable to high-tier Divine Demons?”

  The ten Divine Demons immediately sensed something ominous.

  Tantai Xuan, Lu Jiulian, Micah, and Zhu Long also sensed something. They looked up at the chessboard domain.

  The corners of their mouths curved upward.

  “This is Young Master Lu’s chessboard domain…”

  “Young Master Lu is assisting us.”

  “With Young Master Lu’s support, everything becomes first-rate.”

  Micah couldn’t help but laugh. The tension in his heart eased considerably.

  BOOM!

  In the next moment, the four of them erupted with overwhelming momentum.

  Tantai Xuan gripped the Life-and-Death Register, life-and-death qi swirling around him as he transformed into a streak of light and charged once more toward the Bone Spike Divine Demon.

  Micah clenched his fists. His Extreme Dao Emperor Fist reached its utmost peak.

  Zhu Long and Lu Jiulian also attacked.

  With Lu’s chessboard domain spreading, they set aside their worries about the Five Phoenixes and fully immersed themselves in battle.

  Perhaps Young Master Lu had arranged this so they could gain something from the fight.

  After becoming Golden Immortals, they had few opportunities for real combat—or rather, few battles worthy of them.

  Thus, this battle against ten Divine Demons of comparable strength was an incredibly rare opportunity.

  BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

  Terrifying shockwaves rippled outward, causing the space to tremble like waves.

  Facing the onslaught of Tantai Xuan and the others,

  the ten Divine Demons cursed the ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven in their hearts, yet their own madness was forced to the surface.

  Power surged wildly from within them as they surrounded and attacked the four human Emperors.

  Even if they were to die, they would make this world suffer.

  They would make these four human Emperors fall here!

  Lu Jiulian’s sword light danced wildly as he clashed with the snake-haired female Divine Demon.

  His expression was icy and solemn.

  As he moved, vast destiny surged around him, his energy boiling.

  In his hands, Wrath Lotuses bloomed one after another.

  Each blooming Wrath Lotus contained terrifying explosive power.

  Of course, these were only three-colored Wrath Lotuses—his most basic attack.

  In his theory of Wrath Lotuses, they could be stacked up to seven colors, or even nine…

  The more layers, the more terrifying the power.

  This could perhaps be considered his divine ability.

  The Azure Lotus domain expanded. Within it, lotus flowers bloomed everywhere.

  Each lotus seemed to become an extension of Lu Jiulian—he could appear at any of them instantly.

  This supreme domain sent chills through the snake-haired Divine Demon.

  She roared furiously. The divine demonic power within her surged wildly. Her hair grew uncontrollably, transforming into countless venomous snakes that lunged toward every lotus flower.

  If she could lock down Lu Jiulian’s position, she would have a chance to kill him.

  And indeed, Lu Jiulian’s position seemed sealed.

  He stood motionless.

  Countless venomous snakes filled the space and domain, forming a flood ready to crash down.

  Yet Lu Jiulian did not move. He raised his hands. Energy intertwined between them, vaguely forming a lotus flower.

  Lu Jiulian closed his eyes.

  He felt as though all the energy within him had been drained.

  A rainbow bloomed between his palms.

  Though his heart was cold, his hands could create rainbows.

  The seven-colored Wrath Lotus slowly took shape,

  slowly spinning in his palm.

  Just as the endless snake hair was about to entangle him,

  Lu Jiulian exhaled softly and flicked the seven-colored Wrath Lotus.

  The leisurely floating Wrath Lotus moved with astonishing speed,

  transforming into a streak of lightning that shot forth.

  The Wrath Lotus danced like a serene rainbow lotus.

  Yet within its calm beauty hid apocalyptic destructive power. The moment the snake hair neared, it was continuously annihilated and shattered.

  The snake-haired Divine Demon felt a chill run through her entire body. She sensed the breath of death.

  With a piercing shriek,

  she unleashed her innate divine ability.

  Divine power spread.

  Around her appeared an ancient serpent.

  The serpent was enormous—its dragon-like scales thick as city walls. It coiled protectively around her, hiding her within.

  BOOM!

  The seven-colored Wrath Lotus struck the snake-haired Divine Demon. Terrifying explosive and destructive power instantly engulfed her.

  The shockwave from Lu Jiulian’s battle drew the attention of the other Divine Demons.

  Their expressions changed drastically as they moved to assist the snake-haired Divine Demon.

  However,

  a faint laughter echoed between heaven and earth.

  The crisp sound of chess pieces landing rang out.

  Snap! Snap! Snap!

  Several chess pieces fell.

  Beams of Spirit-Pressure light descended from the sky,

  completely pinning the Divine Demons in place.

  “This is the pressure of a high-tier Divine Demon! This world… truly has a high-tier Divine Demon! The ancient Great Emperors of the Ninth Heaven deceived us—they sent us to our deaths!”

  The Divine Demons suppressed by the Spirit-Pressure beams revealed terror.

  Moreover, they could sense from the Spirit-Pressure beams that this high-tier Divine Demon of the Five Phoenixes had combat power approaching Immortal-tier Divine Demons!

  They had been thoroughly deceived!

  BOOM!!!

  The violently contracting explosion suddenly swept outward.

  In the abyss, a seven-colored lotus continuously expanded—growing to ten thousand zhang—before contracting to its utmost limit…

  Revealing the aftermath of the blast.

  A massive serpent body hung limp. The snake-haired Divine Demon was covered in wounds, barely clinging to life.

  On the verge of death.

  Struck by Lu Jiulian’s seven-colored Wrath Lotus, she had lost all combat power.

  Or rather, her will had been shattered.

  Lu Jiulian’s face was pale. The seven-colored Wrath Lotus was a tremendous drain on him.

  His destructive dao intent had been completely exhausted; two-thirds of his internal energy had been consumed by the Wrath Lotus.

  Fortunately, the result was immense.

  And fortunately, Young Master Lu’s Spirit-Pressure beams had suppressed the other Divine Demons.

  BOOM!

  Destiny surged.

  The destiny clinging to the snake-haired Divine Demon madly poured into Lu Jiulian’s body.

  Lu Jiulian’s eyes lit up. He sat cross-legged.

  Destiny like a vast sea appeared above his head and around him.

  He seemed to sit at the center of the storm.

  The sea of destiny flipped, forming giant waves like apocalyptic tsunamis.

  The entire sea of destiny boiled, churning violently above Lu Jiulian’s head.

  In an instant, it completed three revolutions.

  The sea of destiny surged three times—Third-Revolution Golden Immortal!

  Meanwhile, the dying snake-haired Divine Demon felt the world spin. Spatial mysteries surged beside her as a spatial rift tore open.

  An arm reached out from the rift, grabbed her by the hair, and dragged her inside.

  When the snake-haired Divine Demon regained consciousness, she found herself on an island shrouded in immortal qi.

  Not far away, a human loli was burning a black pot over a fire.

  A fox-faced human woman silently sharpened her sword.

  The snake-haired Divine Demon was filled with terror.

  Rustle.

  A breeze blew through the peach grove, sending petals dancing.

  A young man in white robes sat in a wheelchair before a chessboard, looking at her calmly.

  “You… you are the high-tier Divine Demon of this world!”

  The snake-haired Divine Demon trembled in fear.

  “High-tier Divine Demon?”

  Lu was momentarily stunned, then understood—this was how the Divine Demon race classified Golden Immortal strength.

  Under Lu’s questioning, the snake-haired Divine Demon revealed everything.

  “Early-tier, high-tier, Immortal… so that’s how Divine Demons are ranked?”

  Lu pondered.

  “And above Immortal?”

  Lu’s gaze fell on the snake-haired Divine Demon.

  Terror flooded her eyes.

  “Cannot say… cannot say…”

  Lu’s mouth twitched.

  With a gentle wave of his sleeve,

  the snake-haired Divine Demon was instantly petrified.

  Then, lines danced in his eyes as his gaze returned to the Abyss of Nothingness.

  Micah had always walked the path of the Extreme Realm. Seeing Lu Jiulian complete three revolutions of the sea of destiny, he felt a spark of unwillingness.

  His fist might grew even more terrifying. Within his domain,

  the Blade Divine Demon was beaten until every blade fragment shattered.

  He seemed to undergo a breakthrough in will.

  Every punch erupted with vast fist might, shattering the Blade Divine Demon’s blades until it was on its last breath.

  Then, with one final punch, Micah struck.

  The Divine Demon’s soul shattered.

  Yet its incomparably tough body remained intact, merely lifeless, floating in the abyss.

  Divine Demon bodies were far sturdier than their souls.

  On the other side,

  Tantai Xuan, wrapped in life-and-death qi, shattered every bone spike on the Bone Spike Divine Demon. Finally, he swept it away with life-and-death qi, killing it outright.

  The light in its eyes faded. Its soul shattered and was absorbed by the Life-and-Death Register.

  The register’s power grew even stronger.

  Both Tantai Xuan and Micah sensed something. They sat cross-legged in the void—one surrounded by surging karma, the other by a churning sea of destiny.

  Both completed the Third-Revolution Golden Immortal stage, gaining combat power capable of contending slightly with Great Emperors.

  Meanwhile, while Tantai Xuan and the others cultivated,

  Lu sent Sima Qingshan, the Hegemon, Tang Yimo, and others into the abyss to battle the Divine Demons.

  At this moment, the remaining Divine Demons clearly understood…

  They had been used.

  They had been turned into whetstones.

  In their panic, their combat power weakened. They became perfect training targets for quasi-Emperor powerhouses like Sima Qingshan and Bai Qingniao.

  Outside the abyss,

  the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor, cloaked in black robes, stood on a warship.

  He watched the changes in the abyss in silence.

  He had never expected such an outcome—the ten Divine Demons had become Lu Ping’an’s tools.

  They had been used as stepping stones to sharpen the strength of the Five Phoenixes’ powerhouses.

  Seeing the vast destiny, the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor felt his heart stir.

  In that moment, he too chose to enter the abyss, hoping to claim a share.

  If he could obtain destiny from these Divine Demons, he could save decades of cultivation!

  Gu Mangran led the Sea Clan in battle against the Divine Demon avatars.

  In this fight, the Sea Clan displayed astonishing combat power and coordination.

  Especially after Gu Mangran communicated with Jiang Li, Ximen Xianzhi, Mo Liqi, and Luo Mingyue.

  The four inheritors of the King legacies greatly respected Gu Mangran.

  Thus, they joined the Sea Clan, greatly boosting its strength and allowing them to slay many Divine Demon avatars, receiving destiny in return.

  Gu Mangran’s gaze shifted toward the abyss.

  With a light laugh, he stepped inside.

  The twelve Witch Kings roared with battle intent. With enemies to fight, they charged into the abyss like madmen, surrounding a Divine Demon and unleashing a righteous group beating.

  Having reached quasi-Emperor, the Golden Crow Demon Saint now sought further breakthrough.

  He would not miss this battle.

  A scorpion-like Divine Demon radiated deadly poison.

  Yet watching the human cultivators of the Five Phoenixes charge at the Divine Demons with wild enthusiasm,

  it felt that even its once-proud poison could no longer give it a sense of security.

  Fortunately, due to the poison, no human cultivator had yet come to fight it.

  “Hmm?”

  Suddenly, a surprised voice rang out.

  The chessboard trembled. A beam of Spirit-Pressure light descended, freezing the Scorpion Divine Demon in place.

  It struggled to turn its head and saw a spatial rift tear open beside it.

  A white-robed young man wearing spirit-energy woven gloves grabbed it and dragged it away.

  After several spatial shifts,

  the Scorpion Divine Demon’s vision gradually cleared.

  The air was thick with the fragrance of medicinal herbs.

  In the distance,

  the white-robed young man who had captured it sat in a wheelchair, conversing with an old farmer-like figure.

  “Hey, why so polite? Your father just enjoys the soul-stirring feeling of researching divine herbs. I don’t like fighting and killing.”

  Lu Changkong waved his hand.

  “This Divine Demon’s poison should be helpful for your poison body, Father. That’s why I brought it. Becoming an Emperor or not isn’t important—what matters is that this kind of poison is hard to find.”

  Lu said.

  After a half-hearted refusal, Lu Changkong accepted.

  The Scorpion Divine Demon awoke and frantically tried to escape.

  The conversation between father and son was far too terrifying.

  However, Lu gently beckoned.

  The Spirit-Pressure beam smashed down, pinning the Scorpion Divine Demon in the ancient tomb, unable to move.

  The old farmer-like Lu Changkong excitedly rolled up his sleeves and walked step by step toward the Scorpion Divine Demon.

  He reached out and grasped its stinger.

  The Scorpion Divine Demon trembled.

  It had never felt so powerless—as though an incomparably thick and irresistible poison was pouring into its body, striking straight at its soul.

  So… there existed such a bizarre and deadly poison in this world.

  After a few breaths,

  the Scorpion Divine Demon perished.

  Above Lu Changkong’s head, vast destiny surged as he began to break through.

  Lu glanced at the system panel.

  Divine Demons slain: (6/10).

  Satisfied, he traversed space and returned to the central island.

  He continued remotely controlling the Spirit-Pressure Chessboard, assisting the Five Phoenixes’ cultivators in their battle against the Divine Demons.

  But the moment he returned to the central island and took a sip of Heavenly Immortal Wine,

  Lu froze.

  He narrowed his eyes.

  In the Abyss of Nothingness,

  beside the Divine Demon currently battling the twelve Witch Kings,

  a massive “Xing” (Travel) character array rune suddenly appeared.

  Space shattered inch by inch.

  A spatial rift tore open.

  From within that rift,

  an arm covered in ancient aura reached out.

  It seized the Divine Demon fighting the twelve Witch Kings.

  The twelve Witch Kings’ eyes instantly turned red!

  They could understand stealing food,

  but stealing a Divine Demon?

  Gu Mangran’s body trembled violently. When he saw that arm, he sensed a familiar aura.

  “Emperor Hao!”

  The owner of the arm ignored Gu Mangran.

  He still intended to take this tenth Divine Demon away.

  BOOM!

  Spatial mysteries surged once more in the abyss.

  Space tore open.

  “You think you can take back something that has fallen into my, Lu Ping’an’s, hands?”

  A faint laugh echoed.

  Lu’s palm also reached out from the spatial rift.