Lu truly felt regret over the Fire Elemental God's self-detonation.

  After all, this was a divine-demon equivalent to a human quasi-saint—immensely powerful primordial spirit, exceedingly rare.

  Without fortunate coincidence, Lu couldn't have sealed and utilized it.

  But in truth, the god's spirit was near exhaustion. Even without self-detonation: eventual demise. Self-detonation... merely a dignified end.

  "Mind-Chaos Chrysanthemum... poison after all. And dad's 'beyond mild' rating: must've been agonizing..."

  Lu lamented.

  Boom!

  Though near depletion, the detonation still terrifying.

  Muffled blast.

  Eight Trigrams cauldron expanded—horrific energy, blazing fire surged inside, as if bursting outward.

  Might formidable.

  Long after: dissipated, faint energy ripples escaped.

  Lu seated platform—sentimental.

  But soon frowned.

  God's spirit extinguished: palace unsustainable—unless more Elemental Gods as reserves.

  "Temporarily seal white jade palace..."

  Lu helpless—decided.

  "Next Elemental God guests: reopen."

  Current situation good—at least Five Phoenixes cultivators soul-strengthened over time, many transformed. Overall metamorphosis.

  Mind exited platform.

  Leaned railing—wind listening, white robes fluttering.

  Ning Zhao returned—poured warm celestial brew.

  Lu sensed her change—but unclear where.

  Ning Zhao's smiles more natural.

  Picked piece—placed board, pushed forward.

  Finally: board edge.

  As if closing door.

  ...

  Beiluo lakeside.

  Tonggu no longer fished. Seated jade stairs cultivators sparse—no more watchworthy.

  Tonggu smiled—guessed palace temporary closure.

  Felt pressure weakening—energy severely drained. Palace saint work—but elevating so many second layer geniuses: vast consumption.

  Tonggu calculated: sustaining spirit energy alone—at least three his total.

  Even he: unsustainable.

  Hence marveled palace mystery, power.

  Boom!

  Tremors echoed.

  Palace gates opened—souls trickled out, entering brows of seated on stairs.

  Awakening from slumber.

  Palace repelled—forcing cultivators off stairs, across lake to shore.

  "White jade palace temporary closure..."

  Tonggu lifted basket—smiling said.

  Then left lakeside—find spot grill fat fish.

  Brilliance flowed—Beiluo noisy again.

  Palace closure: depressed many True Immortal pinnacle cultivators. Bitter cultivation for entry—unexpected closure.

  Watched Beiluo Lake waters surge.

  Parted sides—mysterious white jade palace slowly sank bottom amid gazes.

  Vast pressure shrouding Beiluo: vanished.

  Beiluo: ordinary ancient city again.

  "Saint ruin sank lake bottom—perhaps one day reopen."

  "Then must Mystic Immortal—entry qualification."

  "Heard palace: clarify heart—massive future aid. Many Mystic Immortals emerged: rapid cultivation. Great Xuan third prince Zhao Qingzhi: now Golden Immortal—youngest ever!"

  Cultivators exchanged.

  But couldn't mask Beiluo prosperity fade.

  Once myriad immortals: declining. Streaks like comets scattering—departing powerhouses.

  Metal, Fire Origin stars—and new Wood: hot spots.

  Perhaps saint ruin stimulus: more fervent cultivation.

  Five Phoenixes: myriad geniuses emerged.

  With ancestral geniuses entering: more Five Phoenixes cultivators.

  Each ancestral genius cultivated thirty for Five Phoenixes. Resources scarce short-term—brought ancestral resources: disciple, invest—Five Phoenixes cultivators grew numerous, stronger.

  Lu satisfied—biggest beneficiary.

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  More cultivators: more qi commission.

  Five Phoenixes Immortal Martial level slowly rose.

  Immortal source stabilized—mining Little Yinglong unknowingly strengthened.

  Lu leisurely now.

  Fortune Tower, three Beast Ancestor stars...

  Holy lands: cultivators chased madly—Lu relaxed.

  Strength lying down: him.

  Of course: Qi Refining twelve to thirteen: not simple. Faint bottleneck feel.

  But Lu unconcerned—wait arrival. Qi commission unfilled—premature.

  Time array: orderly passage.

  Millennium flowed.

  Five Phoenixes cultivators diligent.

  Zhulong long Daluo—yin-yang truths. No statue aid: slow. But yin-yang 40%.

  80% mastery: quasi-saint impact—Zhulong short.

  Besides Zhulong: Dantai Xuan, Lu Jiulian millennium ago Daluo—but millennium: slow elevation. Dantai Xuan second layer aided.

  Originally fire truths—karma fire. But 800 years ago: felt unfit—slow. Solitary bitter sea 400 years: life-death truths.

  Then century per 10%: now 40%.

  Lu Jiulian versatile—all around 40%.

  Besides three Daluo: millennium two more.

  One: Sima Qingshan—painting dao, Wood truths. Ordinary.

  Among Daluo: unremarkable, low-key.

  Other: Bai Qingniao—Fire truths Daluo. Millennium: 60%!

  Nearly rival ancestral prodigy Luo Yang—stunned world.

  Five Phoenixes gradually stronger—from initial to no longer weak Immortal Martial.

  Time steady.

  Five Phoenixes slowly strengthened.

  As if giant hand: pushing all steady forward.

  ...

  Elemental Realm.

  Endless fire sea churned—cracking sounds.

  Next: terrifying pressure waves—then three Elemental Gods tri-color glow hovered above.

  Wood, Water, Earth Elemental Gods—grave gazed bathed fire sea Fire Elemental God body.

  Saw body crack at brow—as if life fading.

  "Emperor said Fire Elemental God not dead—spirit sealed... but now: dead."

  "Spirit thoroughly extinguished—body link severed: hence brow crack."

  Wood Elemental God life expert—said.

  Other two sighed.

  "Pity—divine-demons silently lost Elemental God..."

  Never thought ruins trip: such tragic death.

  Whoosh whoosh!

  Sudden gold burst—suppressed churning sea.

  Gold dispersed—figure emerged.

  Gold Elemental God cold hovered—held star map, faint gaze swept lifeless body.

  "Dead?"

  "Yes." Wood said.

  "Humans killed our Elemental God—this vengeance... demand!"

  Gold endless murderous aura.

  "Elemental God: Fire Realm ruler. Humans killed divine-demon ruler—we counter!"

  "Rally all Fire Realm divine-demons—assault human ancestral lands!"

  "Exterminate humans!"

  Vast voice from Gold.

  Instant: entire Fire Realm boiled.

  Boom boom!

  Blazing fire pillars soared—dispersed: three flame-condensed divine-demons terrifying aura.

  Three late heavenly god-tier.

  Not just: heavenly god-tiers roared—Great Dao, immortal divine-demons howled.

  "Avenge Fire Elemental God!"

  Fire-attribute divine-demons: unprecedented unity.

  Void.

  Wood, Water, Earth surprised eyed Gold.

  "Full war declaration humans?"

  "Mad? Humans saints deep ancient starry guard—if exterminate: saints wrath?"

  Water frowned.

  "No extermination—slay powerhouses, leave weak humans linger."

  Gold unconcerned.

  "Reduce humans minor ancient starry race—not prior goal?"

  "Plus: humans saints most reasonable—humans first killed our Elemental God... mere vengeance."

  "Human terms: justified cause."

  Gold sneered.

  Then waved—unfolded star map.

  "Here: Fire Elemental God imprisonment mark. Nearby: human ancestral lands—means this newborn Immortal Martial vital to ancestral."

  "Former ancestral monolith—unbreakable. Now: breach."

  This breach: newborn Immortal Martial.

  Gold rallied other Elemental Gods—joint plot.

  Decided: no retreat.

  "Plus—even no pretext: can't watch humans strengthen—assault ancestral anyway... three statues human hands: what means?"

  "Means future: myriad human quasi-saints, perhaps saints... eventually exterminate divine-demons."

  "Racial war—you no exterminate humans: humans possible exterminate you."

  Cold voice from Gold.

  Other Elemental Gods silent—knew right. Divine-demons humans irreconcilable.

  Humans killed countless divine-demons—vice versa.

  Blood feud.

  Only emperor/saint balance—below: kill!

  Survivors develop.

  "Moreover..."

  Gold lips curved—gazed each Elemental God.

  "This time: emperor support."

  Words: Elemental Gods eyes contracted—no dissent.

  Buzz...

  Gold before Fire Elemental God corpse.

  Raised hand.

  Golden threads spread—like living worms—drilled body.

  "What?"

  Water asked.

  "Refine corpse puppet—let him personally avenge humans... pre-death: infinite resentment vent."

  Gold faint.

  Other Elemental Gods hearts sank—gaze Fire Elemental God: pity.

  Dead yet puppeted—tragic.

  But current Gold emperor-linked—no emperor voice: no meddle.

  Divine-demon decree spread.

  Five Elemental Realms mobilized.

  Like dark cloud starry sky gathered—terrifying force brewing sweep.

  ...

  Black-White Empress exited ruins—starry slow walk.

  But swift—surroundings lightning past.

  Suddenly stopped.

  Pinched fluffy Black-White Beast.

  "Good sniff—remember pale youth you craved?"

  "Find: let eat."

  Empress eyed uniform starry—dizzy, simply asked beast.

  Road-blind—vast starry identical—how find.

  Could deduce—but alert him: dare not. Let beast.

  Raised billions days—use now.

  Beast fluffy: big nose probed—starry fierce sniff, terrifying storms waves.

  Empress meant Azure Dragon—beast remembered deeply.

  Fierce sniff: pointed direction.

  Empress graceful—like water ripple—swift strode that way.

  Beast guide: no wrong turns.

  Silent starry traverse.

  Soon: before Ninth Heaven.

  "Hmm? Human quasi-saint."

  Spirit swept—sensed blocking Ninth Heaven entrance Xuancang elder.

  Quasi-saint block: troublesome.

  Pre-Wood statue swallow recovery: perhaps tricky. Now: manageable.

  Space rippled faintly.

  Empress cradled beast—toward Ninth Heaven entrance.

  Xuancang unaware—no reaction.

  Empress cradled beast—passed before him.

  Beast cradled: naughty—passing: paw slapped Xuancang head.

  Xuancang chilled!

  Who hit?

  Glanced around—no figure.

  "Tonggu that dog again?"

  Xuancang muttered—rage rose.

  Thought Tonggu wounded: yield.

  But retreat step: angrier.

  Wounded justify hit?

  Sooner confront Tonggu.

  Empress nearly exposed—then pinched beast, faint gaze.

  Black-white eyes increasingly indifferent.

  As if next: skin boil.

  Beast shrank trembling.

  No naughty.

  Compared late quasi-saint Xuancang: Tonggu sharper sense.

  Empress entered Five Phoenixes starry.

  Lakeside fishing retirement Tonggu: heart jumped—supreme crisis feel.

  Black-White Empress chaos being—rival emperor/saint: vast threat.

  Tonggu dropped rod.

  Flash: Five Phoenixes starry.

  Robes fluttered.

  Floated sank flung.

  Brow cracked—eye emerged.

  Heavenly Eye divine ability!

  Tonggu's ability: anomalies nowhere hide.

  Soon saw.

  Five Phoenixes starry somewhere.

  First: long smooth jade-like legs faintly visible skirt slits.

  Then upward...

  Emerging... black-white distinct fluffy ball.

  Tonggu stunned.

  Then heavenly eye: left-right black-white eyes—indifferent.

  Familiar eyes.

  Tonggu shivered.

  Damn...

  Her!

  That woman!

  Came knocking?!

  Tonggu hurried retracted Heavenly Eye—cold sweat.

  Black-White Empress!

  Ruins chaos being—rival divine-demonic emperor, human saint...

  This boss not palace stay—Five Phoenixes why?!

  Tonggu felt big trouble.

  Woman unpredictable—alignment unclear.

  "Wait..."

  "Came for Zhulong girl?"

  Tonggu inhaled—highly likely.

  Zhulong eyes open: black-white distinct.

  Empress eyes originally black-white... truth emerging!

  "Roll."

  Empress indifferent.

  Faint voice blasted Tonggu ear.

  "Good."

  Tonggu no anger—smiling agreed, fled back Five Phoenixes.

  Roll then roll—worst: silence kill.

  Saint-level: Tonggu felt unwise resist: possible silenced.

  Tonggu gone.

  Empress unconcerned—cradled beast, long legs stepped—breeze stirred skirt, teleport-like vanished Five Phoenixes starry.

  Reappear: continent.

  Concealed aura—ordinary woman.

  But stunning beauty: destined extraordinary.

  Landed: Great Xuan imperial capital.

  Stood bustling street—pedestrians coming going.

  Empress frowned.

  Noise instant ear.

  But surrounded: her beauty stunned—uproar endless.

  Many self-styled romantic Confucians: approach flirt.

  But Empress cold aura: deterred countless.

  Mere mortals: uninteresting.

  Empress looked up—profound gaze north, Buzhou Peak direction.

  There... familiar aura.

  "Girl."

  Empress smiled faintly.

  Glanced surrounded impenetrable—her smile: eyes nearly popped mortals.

  Empress lips curved—tossed fluffy ball Black-White Beast.

  Roar!!!

  Beast instant colossal land—fierce roared surroundings.

  Mortals soul-scattered terror.

  Empress floated—landed beast back. Unconcerned mortals—pointed Buzhou Peak.

  Beast pounded chest roared.

  Then heavy fists ground.

  Soared—streak, smashed down: Buzhou Peak base.

  Seated beast back: Empress lazy pose, lids half-lifted—gazed peak.

  Buzhou Peak summit.

  Cross-legged bluestone Zhulong suddenly trembled.

  Long lashes quivered—uncontrollably opened eyes.

  Gazed down.

  Both gazes: invisibly collided.