The imperial might came to an abrupt halt, as though someone had swung a blade across a raging river, severing its flow.

  The vast, surging imperial aura that had stirred countless powerful beings across the nine heavens now vanished just as suddenly as it had appeared.

  Those ancient existences who had slumbered for eons awoke one after another, their eyes gleaming with excitement.

  Ancient Emperor aura—so distant, yet so familiar.

  After countless ages, the supreme rulers of the nine heavens had finally returned!

  But the aura disappeared as quickly as it had come—too abruptly.

  Panic seized those who had been waiting for the Emperors’ return. They emerged from their slumbering chambers, heedless of their dwindling lifespans, and chased after the fading trace.

  In the first heaven, within the Heavenly Spirit Clan’s Holy Hall.

  Micah sat cross-legged, sensing the sudden cutoff. His expression shifted slightly.

  “They’ve returned… the vanished Ancient Emperors have returned?”

  He drew a deep breath. Light flickered uncertainly in his eyes. The time had come for him to make his choice.

  He looked up, wariness etched across his face, toward the distant clouds where the horizon of the nine heavens met seven-colored radiance surging for ten thousand feet.

  He did not know whether the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor or the Heavenly Dao of the nine heavens had sensed the aura.

  But he had already placed his bet on the Five Phoenixes. There was no retreat.

  He formed a seal, splitting a portion of his divine soul and merging it with his avatar in the Five Phoenixes.

  …

  On the Five Phoenix Continent.

  Everyone stared upward in shock.

  The “Tantai Mojie” who had been forced to his knees by the Spirit-Pressure beam slowly raised his head. Even under such overwhelming force, the Ancient Emperor’s avatar rose steadily to his feet.

  The imperial aura surged outward once more.

  The initial stumble had been due to underestimating the sheer power the Five Phoenixes could unleash.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  One aura after another tore across the sky.

  Ni Yu distributed pills to the wounded Overlord, Tang Yimo, and the other Xuan Immortals.

  Her eyes lit up as she gazed skyward.

  “It’s Young Master! Young Master has come out of seclusion!”

  Overlord and the others exhaled in relief. Young Master Lu had finally acted.

  The transformation of Tantai Mojie had been completely unforeseen.

  After all, he had been reduced to dust—dead beyond dead—yet he had been reborn from a single drop of blood. Such a method was utterly shocking.

  Zhu Long’s eyes remained closed, her lashes trembling faintly.

  She was not overly surprised. From the very beginning, she had sensed the golden blood in Tantai Mojie’s heart.

  Now, having merged even more deeply with the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao, her perception was sharper than ever.

  Lu Changkong stood with hands behind his back, eyes narrowed.

  He had thought the matter would be settled easily, but this twist had caught him off guard.

  Still, he remained calm—because Lu had intervened.

  He knew his son’s capabilities all too well: the kind of strength that always exceeded expectations.

  So many crises had been effortlessly resolved by him. This would be no different.

  While the Xuan Immortals remained composed, the other Five Phoenix Immortals could not hide their unease.

  “This is not the tyrant Tantai Mojie. The aura is completely different…”

  “That pressure… like an imperial weapon. Could the tyrant truly have been an Ancient Emperor reincarnated?”

  “Legends say that in the ancient war of the nine heavens, many Ancient Emperors vanished from the world. Yet the upper-realm holy clans have always claimed that one day the Emperors would return!”

  “Is this the day?”

  Fear spread like wildfire.

  No one could remain calm in the face of an Ancient Emperor—an invincible being who stood at the peak of the nine heavens.

  …

  On the island in the heart of Origin Lake.

  Lu held his wine cup, a faint smile on his lips.

  His eyes danced with amusement, still carrying that lazy calm.

  Now he was certain: the imperial blood had come to the Five Phoenixes with ill intent.

  He had once believed that trust still existed between people in this world.

  But these Ancient Emperors had indeed come to conquer the Five Phoenixes.

  It wasn’t hard to guess.

  The current Five Phoenixes had established an immortal martial foundation.

  The frequent birth of Xuan Immortals—beings comparable to Saints—was proof of its potential.

  This was the foundation for breaking through to become a true immortal martial world!

  Lu did not know the full story behind the Ancient Emperors’ disappearance, nor did he care.

  If the Five Phoenixes succeeded in becoming an immortal martial world, then according to the Great Luo Immortal Scripture he had deduced, there existed a realm above Golden Immortal: Great Luo Immortal.

  A Great Luo Immortal surpassed even Ancient Emperors.

  These Emperors must have sensed the possibility of transcending their realm, and so…

  They had acted.

  But Lu would never allow it.

  “Ancient Emperor…”

  “So what?”

  He drained the cup of Heavenly Immortal Wine.

  Picking up a chess piece, excitement flickered in his eyes as he waited for the Emperors to make their move.

  …

  “Tens of thousands of years without returning… the creatures of the nine heavens have grown bold.”

  A faint voice echoed across the heavens.

  The figure bathed in golden flames—Tantai Mojie—spoke calmly.

  The world fell silent.

  His words were not contained; they rolled through the entire Void Heaven and even reached the lower three heavens.

  In Pingyang Heaven, Blood Fiend Heaven, and Yuan Magnetic Heaven, the powerhouses shuddered.

  The implication of those words sent chills down their spines.

  “An Ancient Emperor has truly returned?!”

  In the Little Thunder Sound Buddha Realm, the Great Venerable drew a sharp breath, filled with dread.

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

  What did the return of an Ancient Emperor mean?

  It could bring boundless calamity. No one could fathom how terrifying a true Ancient Emperor was!

  In the upper realms, the holy clans—already cowed by the Five Phoenixes’ alliance—felt their ancestors’ saintly might surge. Their divine senses stretched across vast distances, gazing toward the Five Phoenixes.

  Many saint ancestors wept tears of joy.

  They had finally waited long enough!

  “The Ancient Emperors have returned at last!”

  Some knelt upon the earth, overwhelmed with ecstasy.

  On the Five Phoenix Continent, silence reigned.

  No living being knew what to say.

  The cultivators felt suffocating pressure; the Immortals trembled inwardly.

  An Ancient Emperor was the pinnacle of an era.

  What oppressed them most was that these Emperors were not friendly toward the Five Phoenixes.

  Their manipulation of Tantai Mojie to bring chaos proved that.

  Could the Five Phoenixes withstand an Ancient Emperor?

  Fortunately, the unfathomable Young Master Lu had finally acted…

  The Spirit-Pressure beam gradually dissipated.

  The golden figure slowly stepped into the Five Phoenix sky.

  His terrifying aura spread, yet the rules of Void Heaven showed no reaction.

  Golden pupils turned.

  The Ancient Emperor’s will, now occupying Tantai Mojie’s body, swept his gaze toward the Eastern Sea.

  “Found you.”

  His body dove like a cannonball, trailing a long streak of light across the sky, vanishing in the direction of the Eastern Sea.

  The expressions of the Five Phoenix Xuan Immortals changed drastically.

  The Eastern Sea—that was where White Jade Capital lay. The Ancient Emperor was heading straight for Young Master Lu!

  “Stop him!”

  They shot forward.

  In the Eastern Sea.

  The vast ocean exploded.

  Terrifying waves surged skyward.

  The eight Five Phoenix Xuan Immortals intercepted the Ancient Emperor in the center of the sky.

  At the same time, the Emperor raised his head. A heavenly gate appeared above him.

  A figure stepped forth upon a green lotus.

  Lu Jiulian emerged from the Ascension Land.

  “Interesting…”

  The Ancient Emperor smiled.

  Boom!

  The battle erupted instantly.

  Nine Xuan Immortals against an Ancient Emperor avatar. The clash sent monstrous waves surging, evaporating vast swaths of seawater.

  Marine creatures trembled in terror.

  The arriving Five Phoenix Immortals could only watch from afar, unable to approach this apocalyptic battle.

  Who could have imagined that behind this rebellion stood an Ancient Emperor?

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  Overlord and the others were sent flying again.

  As newly advanced Xuan Immortals who had spent most of their time observing the crusade, they had not had time to consolidate their realm.

  Ni Yu was no fighter. She stayed back with her black pot and Little Yinglong, cheering them on.

  Thus, the main force fell to Zhu Long, Lu Jiulian… and Lu Changkong.

  Though Lu Changkong was also newly advanced, he possessed the Myriad Poisons Physique.

  When the Ancient Emperor’s fist struck him, the golden flames nearly turned green. The Emperor grew wary.

  Among top-tier special physiques, poison bodies were the most terrifying…

  So he avoided direct clashes with Lu Changkong.

  Zhu Long, eyes closed, darted forward with cold determination, small fists clenched.

  Though her father had always said a girl should be gentle and refined…

  Right now, refinement was impossible. The Ancient Emperor’s presence pressed upon her so heavily that she had no choice but to cast gentleness aside.

  Lu Jiulian swept his green-lotus sword, brilliant sword light filling the sky.

  After years of consolidating his cultivation in the Ascension Land, his Xuan Immortal combat power had grown even stronger!

  Three rivers of fortune surged, clashing against the Ancient Emperor.

  Sima Qingshan, Kong Nanfei, and Bai Qingniao supported from the sides.

  Sima Qingshan painted the void into a cage.

  Kong Nanfei condemned with words of righteousness.

  Bai Qingniao pointed from afar, sending nine fire phoenixes to unleash devastating attacks, disrupting the Emperor.

  Overlord and Tang Yimo charged fearlessly again and again, acting as shields.

  Waves crashed across the vast sea.

  The shockwaves from Xuan Immortal-level combat killed countless creatures in the ocean.

  The water itself began to turn faintly red with blood!

  Above the sea.

  The giant whale rose and fell.

  Atop Peach Blossom Island, in the white-jade pavilion, Lu watched the back-and-forth between the Ancient Emperor and Zhu Long and Lu Jiulian. His brows rose in mild surprise.

  “Seems… not a true Emperor realm after all. Just an avatar.”

  Lu murmured thoughtfully.

  “A bit disappointing…”

  He had hoped for a real Emperor to gauge his own strength against.

  “But if it’s only an avatar, that’s not bad. It means the Five Phoenixes still have time to grow…”

  His eyes gleamed.

  With his current Qi Refining Ninth Layer strength, even with the Innate Spirit Treasure Heaven-Stealing Tower, his odds against a true Emperor were uncertain.

  More time for development was welcome.

  The longer the Five Phoenixes had, the stronger Lu Ping’an would become.

  Suddenly, an idea struck him.

  “Hm… since it’s not a true Emperor, could we channel the scattered fortune of heaven and earth into this body, then let Zhu Long or Lu Jiulian get a boost and defeat him—gaining fortune in return?”

  His eyes lit up. The idea had potential.

  His mind entered the Transmission Platform and began deducing.

  He sought a method to allow this Ancient Emperor avatar to absorb the scattered fortune of heaven and earth.

  It wasn’t difficult.

  After about nine rounds of simulation, Lu obtained the complete method.

  Exiting the platform, he felt pleased.

  He took another sip of Heavenly Immortal Wine and decided: treat this Emperor avatar as a tool.

  He swept all the pieces off the chessboard.

  The board lay empty.

  Lu picked up a piece and slowly placed it.

  Boom!

  The moment it landed, the scattered fortune of heaven and earth began to surge toward the Ancient Emperor avatar’s head.

  …

  The vast sea was plowed into deep, unhealing trenches.

  Zhu Long, Lu Jiulian, and Lu Changkong tried to move the battle to the outer void, but the Emperor avatar refused.

  He insisted on fighting within the Five Phoenixes—because he knew it was most advantageous to him.

  Not only did it force the Five Phoenix Xuan Immortals to hold back, it also allowed him to instill fear and awe in the hearts of the Five Phoenix people.

  Even as an avatar, he could plant the seed of dread in their souls.

  Boom!

  Lu Jiulian was sent flying, his expression grim.

  The Ancient Emperor avatar was truly powerful!

  Though not at true Emperor level, his oppressive force was top-tier among Xuan Immortals!

  Lu Changkong lunged, arms wide, trying to grapple him.

  The Emperor was wary of Lu Changkong.

  Special physiques were mysterious—even Ancient Emperors had not fully understood them.

  He wanted no part of that poison.

  The battle was brutal. The heavens and earth changed color, as if the apocalypse had arrived.

  In an ancient tomb, Gu Mangran sat up in his coffin, staring blankly.

  What had Young Master Lu done this time?

  How had he provoked an Ancient Emperor avatar?

  Gu Mangran felt a headache coming on.

  He suddenly didn’t want to sleep anymore. Every time he closed his eyes, something terrifying happened!

  This time it was an Emperor avatar.

  If he slept again, would a true Ancient Emperor descend next?!

  Gu Mangran took a deep breath, refocused, and stared at the avatar clashing with Zhu Long and Lu Jiulian.

  He could feel the avatar’s strength steadily rising.

  “Which Ancient Emperor is it?”

  “No clear signature techniques… hard to tell.”

  Gu Mangran pondered.

  Then he stopped thinking.

  Beside him, Bu Nanxing approached with a fawning smile, offering a prepared Chrysanthemum Divine Herb.

  Gu Mangran glanced over.

  Bu Nanxing pushed it forward eagerly, as if to say: take it, no need to return it.

  In Old Lu’s absence, Gu Mangran was the boss.

  Survival in this brutal world required knowing how to please the right people.

  Gu Mangran smiled, thanked him, and prepared to swallow the herb.

  But…

  The situation above the sea changed abruptly.

  Zhu Long opened her eyes.

  Night and day reversed. Innate Yin-Yang Qi stretched across the heavens.

  “Divine ability?”

  The Ancient Emperor avatar was startled.

  In an instant, he was engulfed by a massive Yin-Yang millstone.

  A pit ten thousand li wide appeared in the sea.

  Lu Jiulian gripped his sword. A green lotus quietly bloomed around him.

  The enormous lotus spread, enveloping the Ancient Emperor.

  “Domain?”

  The Emperor was shocked again.

  So many geniuses in the Five Phoenixes!

  Boom!

  Under Zhu Long’s divine ability and Lu Jiulian’s domain, the Emperor was not in dire straits.

  His experience and strength allowed him to handle it with ease.

  Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

  “Interesting.”

  The sea grew suddenly calm.

  Lu’s light laughter echoed, followed by the crisp sound of a piece falling on the board.

  When the sound ceased, the vast scattered fortune of heaven and earth surged toward the Ancient Emperor avatar’s head.

  At first, the avatar was surprised.

  He knew of the Great Luo Immortal Scripture. Its allure had moved even Ancient Emperors.

  The returning Emperors had planned to implement the path of fortune in the nine heavens.

  Perhaps that path could lead them to the realm beyond Ancient Emperor!

  “Foolish.”

  “To think you could suppress me with fortune!”

  The Ancient Emperor avatar sneered.

  Using the path of fortune against him—how naive of Lu Ping’an.

  “Have you forgotten how those world-ending dire beasts were born?”

  He said coldly.

  As his words fell, surging killing intent and baleful aura erupted from him. Golden flames roared skyward.

  These forces fused with the incoming fortune, causing his power to rise even further.

  Gu Mangran drew a sharp breath.

  “That’s the divine ability of the Flame Clan Ancient Emperor!”

  This avatar was controlled by the Flame Clan Ancient Emperor!

  Flame Clan?

  Gu Mangran’s shock reached Lu.

  No wonder Tantai Mojie’s temper had grown increasingly explosive—like a raging fire consuming everything.

  So it was the Flame Clan Ancient Emperor pulling the strings.

  But Lu didn’t care which clan it was—the outcome would be the same.

  Moreover…

  This guy had just called him foolish!

  Lu’s expression gradually chilled. Throughout history, this was the first being to call Lu Ping’an foolish.

  He rolled up his sleeve and placed another piece.

  As it landed, the chessboard’s aura turned utterly murderous!

  Boom!

  Heaven-and-earth fortune continued to pour into the Ancient Emperor avatar, pushing his aura to the very limit of what the world could bear!

  He resembled an even more terrifying version of the dire beast Six-Infant!

  Above the sea.

  Zhu Long, Lu Jiulian, and the other Five Phoenix Xuan Immortals instantly recognized the change.

  First confusion, then delight.

  If the Ancient Emperor avatar truly transformed into something like a dire beast, did that mean slaying him would grant them fortune?!

  Overlord and Tang Yimo fought with renewed ferocity.

  Though they were still sent flying, their momentum was ferocious.

  Boom!

  Lu placed another piece—this time, a boost for Zhu Long.

  How could he not give his precious little cotton-padded jacket a cheat?

  Suddenly, the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao stars illuminated the skies.

  A beam of light descended, enveloping Zhu Long.

  Carrying the Heavenly Dao, her aura climbed higher and higher—more and more terrifying!

  The Ancient Emperor avatar, now fused with heaven-and-earth fortune, sensed the danger.

  “Fused with the Heavenly Dao?”

  “This aura… Quasi-Emperor?!”

  The Flame Clan Ancient Emperor’s avatar paled. He immediately tried to abandon the fortune and flee.

  Bathed in Heavenly Dao light, Zhu Long was still slightly dazed—until her father’s voice reached her ears.

  Listening to his instructions, her eyes grew brighter.

  As expected of Father… so wicked!

  Boom!

  Seeing the Flame Clan Ancient Emperor try to escape, Zhu Long—bathed in Heavenly Dao radiance—pursued like a teleport, cutting off his retreat.

  Her small pink fist shot out.

  The Ancient Emperor avatar, wreathed in golden flames, countered with a punch.

  Boom!

  Their fists collided.

  The Flame Clan Ancient Emperor’s arm—now fused with heaven-and-earth fortune—shattered!

  Zhu Long’s spirit surged. She clenched her fist tighter, excitement blazing.

  Her small fists rained down in a storm of shadows.

  Each strike carried bone-breaking, heaven-shaking force.

  They smashed into the Ancient Emperor avatar’s body.

  Bang! Bang! Bang!

  Facing Zhu Long empowered by the Heavenly Dao, the Ancient Emperor avatar was utterly helpless.

  High above the sky…

  The girl who had shed all restraint unleashed a brutal beating!