Outside Beiluo Lake.

  True Immortals and Human Immortals who fell into the water climbed ashore one by one, unwilling but helpless.

  Under the palace's pressure, no matter how reluctant, they couldn't flare up. They didn't even fly out in rage—instead, they swam slowly to shore. Drenched like drowned rats, yet no one mocked them.

  "You lot are sensible enough."

  Tonggu Daoist sat cross-legged with interest, somehow producing a handful of melon seeds to crack.

  Watching the soaked cultivators return, he chuckled.

  "Don't lose heart. This ruin won't vanish soon. Cultivate hard—break through to Mystic Immortal or even Golden Immortal Emperor realm. Then you can explore it."

  Tonggu's words motivated many—eyes reigniting with hope.

  His intent: boost Five Phoenixes cultivators' drive. Who knows—unexpected quasi-saints might emerge?

  Excitement aside, most stayed. Curious: what secret realm inside? What benefits?

  This white jade palace: only Mystic Immortals+ to under quasi-saints.

  So strict: extraordinary.

  Many wanted to see gains of those emerging.

  Even quasi-saint Tonggu curious.

  Cracking seeds, watching the show.

  Palace mysterious—Tonggu suspected saint work. Guess only—results from emerging cultivators.

  Palace suction terrifying, but pressure felt quasi-saint-like. Human quasi-saints known to him—all accounted: low chance.

  Palace secret: Tonggu eyed seated cultivators on jade stairs—eyes flickering, guess forming.

  If confirmed...

  Epic human boost!

  Palace importance: rival three Beast Ancestor statues!

  ...

  Vast sea, lake island.

  Lu played chess quietly—world serene.

  Island: Lu alone. Board reflected white jade palace—but uninteresting.

  Lu's task: sustain spirit power supply—prevent shortage closing palace.

  Closure mid-enlightenment: soul transformation failure—severe: indelible soul trauma.

  No negligence—even Lu grave.

  "Mortal return, mortal return... Hope Five Phoenixes cultivators break through this heart journey."

  Lu pondered.

  Five Phoenixes stronger—top Immortal Martial: must undergo.

  As Tonggu said: too rapid growth—low to Immortal Martial faster than any ancient starry sky world.

  Rapid: issues.

  Low soul levels: gravest. Initially unnoticeable—first layer sufficed to Daluo (Emperor).

  But quasi-saint/saint: vital.

  Foundation, aptitude.

  Human quasi-saints: only ten—hard birth.

  Quasi-saint: second soul layer required.

  Saint: third—hard metric.

  Lu pondered no more.

  Board: projections seated, faint glow.

  Each piece: palace cultivator.

  Each: world's changes.

  Palace setup: centuries Lu's effort—for this realm.

  Previous realms: never so long deduction.

  Showed importance.

  Eyes closed—Lu controlled spirit output.

  ...

  "I, Dantai Xuan... reborn?"

  Dantai Xuan kidney-ached. Thought escaped fortune-isolation fear—but wrong.

  First rebirth thought: fortune-isolation struck—visible massive shadow.

  But Underworld Emperor: calmed quickly.

  Listened quietly to Mo Ju.

  Nodded—mind blank.

  Long after: interrupted "Ju, Wolong Ridge immortal palace opened?"

  Mo Ju stunned: "Immortal palace?"

  "Where? Here for Liu He's ambush on Overlord..."

  Dantai Xuan frowned—not simple.

  "No palace?"

  "White Jade Capital Lu Ping'an heard of?"

  "Lu Ping'an? Familiar—Beiluo City Lord Lu Changkong's son?"

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Mediocre—why mention?"

  Mo Ju puzzled—Dantai Xuan changed post-nap.

  Dantai Xuan inhaled—mediocre Lu Ping'an? Kidding?

  "Truly not illusion... real rebirth?"

  "No spirit use... fortune-isolation struck. Saint fortune too strong—rebound reborn."

  Dantai Xuan sighed—accepted.

  "Gugu..."

  Pigeon flapped in.

  Mo Ju took leg message.

  Long after: shook head "Worthy Overlord..."

  "Lord, Liu He dead. 5,000 vs 100—counter-killed... waste, no wonder Pingyang declining."

  Mo Ju disdain.

  "Liu He dead again?"

  Dantai Xuan looked up—accepted: reborn pre-Five Phoenixes change.

  Then: prefect, blood-qi martial artist.

  "Overlord world's top master—only hundred schools restrain."

  Mo Ju said.

  "But done: Pingyang leaderless—families rebel. Suggest lord raise army conquer."

  Dantai Xuan rubbed brow—digest memories.

  Days later: clarified.

  Reborn: no fortune, no qi.

  Lu Ping'an: ordinary crippled Beiluo young master—no White Jade Capital lord.

  Great Zhou intact—young emperor, Master aided.

  All reset—with mysterious bend: no qi, no fortune.

  Dantai Xuan brows smoothed.

  Though past fortunes dream—Human Sovereign, Great Xuan, Underworld Emperor... dreamed.

  Dream over.

  Great Zhou alive, Great Xuan unbuilt.

  Unresigned: personally Beiluo.

  Met Lu Changkong, Lu Ping'an.

  Lu Ping'an ethereal—white robes, wooden wheelchair, three unchanged maids.

  But no qi fluctuations—even blood-qi weak, constant coughs—ailing.

  "Not that man."

  Dantai Xuan sighed—thorough disappointment.

  Left under sickly Lu's puzzled gaze.

  "All reset—but mysterious twist... no qi, no fortune."

  Dantai Xuan lost.

  Power loss unbalanced heart.

  Returned North Prefecture. Mo Ju puzzled, tense—Dantai Xuan secluded days.

  Days later: reborn vigor.

  Eyes gleaming, spirited.

  "Reborn—so what?"

  "Many crave redo—no chance. I Dantai Xuan... fortunate?"

  Dantai Xuan laughed lightly.

  Curious: qi-less life.

  Early death—or glory?

  Unknown—but released knot, integrated world.

  Always person adapts world—not reverse. Weak: world unchanged.

  Time passed.

  Rebirth three years.

  Great Zhou changed. South Prefecture Tang Xiansheng personally petitioned capital—young emperor clashed Master.

  Court: angrily exiled Master to Dongyang Prefecture.

  Dantai Xuan message: dazed.

  History eerily similar.

  Eyes flickered.

  Knew Master's prowess—die Dongyang again?

  Dantai Xuan frowned—days inner struggle.

  Mo Ju message dazed—Dantai Xuan knew why, silent.

  "Ju, prepare carriage—Dongyang, visit Master."

  Mo Ju stunned—why?

  Advised—Dantai Xuan firm: arranged.

  Dongyang Prefecture.

  Bamboo grove pavilion.

  Mo Tianyu bare-chested, drunken—pointing sky, cursing poetry.

  Reborn Mo Tianyu: no Young Master Lu fear—mad, free as ever.

  Carriage wheels.

  Wheelchair-reading Master opened eyes.

  "Dantai prefect?"

  Kong Xiu puzzled.

  Little interaction—why visit?

  But recent low-key Dantai Xuan: unfamiliar—like changed.

  Incense curled, bamboo rustled.

  Dantai Xuan, Kong Xiu sat opposite.

  Talked heaven, earth.

  Kong Xiu surprised: Dantai Xuan recruiting.

  Thatched cottage invite Master.

  Dantai Xuan's purpose.

  Firm—but Master smiling shook head, refused.

  "Prefect delusional. This old man Great Zhou Master—Confucians' spiritual leader. Betray court: cannot."

  "Young Majesty immature—but time: reform."

  "Old man awaits—then battlefield meet prefect."

  Master smiled.

  Dantai Xuan frowned—reports showed much.

  Reborn path similar pre-life. Yuwen Xiu no black dragon—but eunuch-bought by Tang Xiansheng: volatile, tyrant trend...

  Exiled Dongyang Master: pre-life fate next.

  Dongyi invasion, Master battlefield death...

  Dantai Xuan wanted change.

  "If emperor tyrant—world furnace, people suffer—Master persist?"

  Dantai Xuan asked.

  Master stunned—frowned, eyed Dantai Xuan: different, as if seen through.

  Dantai Xuan inhaled—heavy: "Dongyang no good—perilous, hero graveyard."

  Master narrowed eyes—heard implication.

  But meaningful smile.

  "No matter..."

  "If old man dies—awaken emperor: value."

  Master's words silenced Dantai Xuan again.

  Couldn't persuade—even seen through.

  Long talk.

  Ultimately...

  Master firm.

  Next dawn.

  Dantai Xuan left.

  Bamboo pavilion.

  Master reclined rocker—eyes deep.

  "Know fate? Change old man's?"

  "Dantai Xuan... interesting."

  But thought: gazed sober Mo Tianyu outside.

  "Pack—return capital."

  Mo Tianyu puzzled.

  "Kong Nanfei there? He handles—I accompany Master."

  "No, Kong Nanfei no match old fox Tang Xiansheng. Return aid—unrestrained... Tang dare not touch."

  Master said.

  Mo Tianyu helpless—packed, rode away.

  Master coarse robes—watched departing back, smiled deeply.

  People selfish.

  Half month later.

  North Prefecture tent.

  Dantai Xuan pigeon—Mo Ju dazed entered.

  "Lord... Master battlefield dead."

  "Dongyang Dongyi 100,000 invade—guards heavy losses. City fall imminent: Master alone repelled 100,000—exhausted, died field..."

  Mo Ju trembling.

  Dantai Xuan sighed—no great fluctuation.

  Pre-life shocked—this life calm.

  Said Master perhaps guessed—but faced death.

  Dantai Xuan eyed hands—changed nothing fated. Qi-less world: human limits?

  Current North Prefecture not strong—Western Overlord, Southern Tang Xiansheng, Great Zhou bared fangs.

  Qi-less influence: Dantai Xuan dominate? Sovereign again?

  Initial rebirth: mindset exploded—uncertain.

  Now settled.

  Dantai Xuan eyes deepened.

  Pre-life Human Sovereign, founded Great Xuan—this life: peak again.

  Master's death—like pre-life: intensified contradictions.

  Prefects tense Great Zhou—young emperor post-Master death: not restrained, more tyrannical.

  Tang Xiansheng post-Master: suspected—golden cicada escape, left capital. Emperor rage—army pursuit.

  Tang's 100,000 south army north—wilderness annihilated Zhou forces.

  War erupted—Great Zhou internal flames.

  Mo Beike joined Dantai Xuan—strength rose.

  Chaos.

  Prefects died, families reshuffled.

  Great Zhou: Tang, Overlord, Dantai Xuan "cleanse emperor" north attack—collapsed.

  Young emperor Yuwen Xiu drowned imperial garden.

  Five years later.

  Tripartite war—Western Overlord allied Tang—constant North Prefecture attacks.

  Qi-less Overlord: no god.

  Counter-plotted by Tang—besieged Dongyan River.

  Exhausted, mournful songs.

  Dantai Xuan armored chariot—eyed Dongyan River bank: Tang pressing proud unyielding Overlord Xiang Shaoyun to dead end—calm, complex, enlightened beneath.

  Rebirth qi-less: fates shifted.

  Proud defiant Overlord unwilling captive—amid blood-qi masters siege.

  Skyward laugh—drew sword self-decapitate, blood splashed Dongyan River: impacted Dantai Xuan soul.

  Soul transformation edge.

  Overlord fall—Western collapse—withdrew stage.

  Dantai Xuan vs Tang: decade confrontation.

  Tang plotting master—Dantai Xuan calm, unchanging—steady rock.

  Tang helpless.

  Even saw Master's shadow in Dantai Xuan.

  Finally fifteenth year.

  South defeated—cause surprised Dantai Xuan.

  Tang plotted southern barbarians—initial alliance vs Dantai Xuan—dug pit: annihilated 150,000 barbarian army—ended southern threat.

  But south army vitality drained—no capital vs Dantai Xuan.

  Post-battle: Tang no war—withdrew conquest, secluded Nanjiang City.

  Dantai Xuan reunified chaotic Five Phoenixes—founded dynasty, Great Xuan.

  Tang gravely ill—letter to capital.

  Invited Dantai Xuan Nanjiang talk.

  Dantai Xuan no refuse—personally south, met emaciated Tang—blood-qi master cultivation scattered.

  "Southern barbarian leader blood battle—gu poison... lingered till now..."

  Tang smiled.

  Dantai Xuan calm—each fate different. Qi-less: all shone own light.

  "Actually unwilling southern barbarians... but you too steady—like old Kong Xiu—high level, impenetrable. Continue: lose."

  "So this move—ruin barbarians, secure south century peace."

  Tang smiled.

  Withered age-spotted—chatted Dantai Xuan: growth, trivial.

  "Majesty, old man one son—drunken mistake illegitimate. Hates me."

  "Sigh..."

  "If I die—Nanjiang no place. Hope Majesty shelter—sky for him. Talented, uncommon perseverance."

  Tang said.

  Dantai Xuan smiled: "Tang Yimo?"

  Tang stunned—eyes sharpened, excited grasped hand.

  Long after.

  Eyes dimmed.

  Leaned chair—lips regretless smile, head tilted skyward.

  Red sunset.

  Dantai Xuan eyed passed Tang—exhaled.

  Master's, Overlord's, Tang's deaths...

  Enlightened.

  Rebirth qi-less world: everyone like dragon.

  Learned much—soul sublimated utmost.

  Bottleneck soul: pierced membrane—natural.

  Buzz...

  Surroundings rippled faintly.

  ...

  Beiluo lakeside.

  Tonggu cracked seeds.

  Palace effect: emerging cultivators minor soul boosts—Tonggu understood: accumulation fortune for Five Phoenixes.

  Initial shock—later calm.

  Mostly first layer: minor.

  Lost interest—Tonggu prepared pack seeds, leave.

  But Dantai Xuan second layer ripple: shocked—seeds dropped.

  Suddenly felt palace... more powerful than imagined!

  Second layer: quasi-saint impact qualification!

  Palace appearance... brewing big things!