Tantai Xuan returned to the Underworld.

  Bearing the full weight of his sins.

  The Yellow Springs boiled around him. He sat upon the rushing waters, drifting along the current until he reached the depths of the Bitter Sea.

  The karmic fire and sins burned endlessly upon his body.

  He sank deeper and deeper, finally settling at the very bottom of the Bitter Sea, where he sat in silence.

  The nine other city lords sat upon their thrones. Seeing Tantai Xuan’s actions, they sighed deeply.

  Boom!

  The nine lords rose, parting the Bitter Sea and walking toward Tantai Xuan, who had sealed himself within it.

  They urged him to leave the sea, but Tantai Xuan shook his head and refused.

  “The sins I committed—I must bear them myself…”

  Tantai Xuan spoke with a touch of detachment.

  The nine lords had no choice but to withdraw. The rotation of the Underworld still required their oversight.

  The Northern Palace Lord was left behind. Tantai Xuan instructed him to assist the nine city lords in governing the Underworld.

  The Northern Palace Lord bowed solemnly and accepted.

  He knew everything Tantai Xuan had done in the mortal realm—what unimaginable resolve it took.

  To destroy an era and create a new one, enduring the karmic fire and sin of world-ending to forge a glorious human golden age.

  The pain of karmic fire struck directly at the divine soul and spirit—a punishment among the most severe in the Underworld.

  Even a Xuan Immortal could not escape its agony.

  “It’s fine. I’ll endure it.”

  Tantai Xuan smiled.

  The Northern Palace Lord departed.

  The Bitter Sea waters surged once more, enveloping Tantai Xuan.

  He sat amid the flood, rising and falling with the waves.

  Like a statue, he remained motionless as countless vengeful spirits howled and coiled around him.

  These were the souls of those cleansed in the world-ending flood.

  Their endless wails could shake the mind.

  Tantai Xuan’s divine soul stirred. He began contemplating the Six Paths Reincarnation Visualization Method in his sea of consciousness, using it to calm and focus his mind.

  It worked. The wails gradually weakened. His heart settled into cultivation.

  Even the sixth mural—long a mystery to him—began to yield insights.

  Under his visualization and recitation, the vengeful spirits were purified. Their malice washed away, they became pure souls and stepped onto the path of reincarnation in the Underworld.

  For Tantai Xuan, this was also a form of cultivation. If he could purify all the sins…

  His strength might surge dramatically.

  …

  A golden age had returned. Humanity endured.

  Tantai Xuan, in his own way, had preserved the title of Human Emperor.

  Yet he had also made changes—using four divine beast cauldrons to suppress human fortune, ensuring that even if the Human Emperor fell to evil, it would not affect the entire human race.

  This change was good.

  At least, in Lu’s eyes, it was excellent. The four beast cauldrons were forged by Lu himself—his tacit approval of the Human Emperor’s continued existence.

  After Tantai Xuan returned to the Underworld,

  The true golden age truly began.

  Countless cultivation sects emerged from their sealed mountains, transmitting cultivation methods and allowing humanity to grow strong.

  Overlord opened his Body Refining Sect, taking disciples and teaching body techniques.

  Tang Yimo founded his Body Sect. Sima Qingshan sent Painting Sect disciples down the mountain to spread the Dao.

  Countless cultivators descended, teaching humanity.

  Under their guidance, humanity grew stronger and resisted the demons more effectively.

  The cultivators, in turn, received the fortune they desired, advancing their cultivation.

  Both sides benefited mutually, and all were pleased.

  Legends of immortals spread among the common folk. The world now knew that immortals truly existed.

  …

  On the island in Origin Lake.

  Lu reclined in his thousand-blade chair. A gentle breeze swept across the island.

  His total spiritual energy was rising rapidly once more. Originally, facing the dark era, Lu had planned to intervene personally.

  He had his own methods to change the age.

  But since Tantai Xuan had stepped forward, Lu gave him a chance to prove himself.

  He had not expected Tantai Xuan to exceed all expectations.

  “Once this matter concludes, if Tantai Xuan purifies all his sins in the Bitter Sea and appeases the souls, relying on the Six Paths Reincarnation Visualization Method, his strength will surge dramatically. He may even have a chance to step into the Golden Immortal realm.”

  “But only a chance. It would merely lay the foundation.”

  Golden Immortal was equivalent to Great Emperor. Tantai Xuan’s actions had forged his own Great Emperor foundation.

  Lu was quite satisfied. This meant that in the future, the Five Phoenixes would surely produce a Great Emperor-level powerhouse.

  His fingers tapped lightly on the wheelchair armrest.

  Soon, with a thought, the system panel appeared before him.

  *Host:* Lu

  *Title:* Qi Refiner (Permanent)

  *Qi Refining Level:* 9

  *Spiritual Energy Reserve:* 89/100 (billion) strands

  *Divine Soul Power:* 80820 (yuan)

  *Chaos Power:* 237909 (he)

  *World Rating:* Five Phoenixes Minor World [High-Martial (Immortal Martial Foundation)]

  Lu calmly observed the panel.

  Breakthrough was still some distance away.

  But his spiritual energy reserves had reached 89 billion strands. Just another 10 billion would meet the requirement.

  To break through to Qi Refining Layer 10.

  “Qi Refining Layer 10 is already this difficult. Will there really be a Layer 100?”

  Lu shook his head.

  He dismissed the panel.

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  The rapid increase in reserves was largely due to the birth of eight Xuan Immortals in the Five Phoenixes. Their contributions had provided him with massive spiritual energy.

  Now, with the imperial blood gone, the dire beast era ended, and imperial weapons depleted, producing more Xuan Immortals would be extremely difficult.

  “Hm… as my Qi Refining layer increases, the spiritual energy requirements for contributions grow higher.”

  “Previously, cultivators at Body Concealment and above could contribute. Now, only those at the Three Spirit Realm or higher qualify. The requirements keep rising. To gain more spiritual energy, the Five Phoenixes must grow stronger.”

  Lu frowned.

  Xuan Immortals contributed a great deal, but producing more in the Five Phoenix Continent was far from simple.

  Only by using the imperial blood and orchestrating the dire beast era had eight Xuan Immortals been born.

  Creating more would be nearly impossible.

  “It seems time accumulation is the only way.”

  Lu pondered.

  “Fortunately, I’ve adjusted the Five Phoenixes’ time flow to one thousand to one…”

  “And a new era means new vitality.”

  Lu smiled. Everything was progressing well.

  Next, he needed the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao to refine all acquired origin essence.

  Over the years, more than a million strands of Dao Essence had been gathered, but only about two hundred thousand had been refined.

  Eighty-some thousand strands remained.

  Once refined, the Five Phoenixes could break their shackles and ascend to First-Derivation High-Martial.

  Lu smiled.

  He took a sip of Heavenly Immortal Wine.

  With a thought, the world rotated. The sundial floated, and the time array activated once more.

  …

  Under a thousandfold time acceleration, time seemed to pass extremely quickly.

  Mortals perhaps felt nothing, lacking spiritual sense and divine soul to perceive the changes.

  The Five Phoenixes’ development became completely isolated from the outside world.

  In the Ascension Land.

  Lu Jiulian sat in meditation.

  He was lost in thought. The bottleneck at Xuan Immortal was suffocating. He had lost his direction.

  And he was not alone. Many ascendants from the lower three heavens were also present.

  These ancestors from Pingyang Heaven, Blood Fiend Heaven, and Yuan Magnetic Heaven had greatly advanced their cultivation thanks to the accelerated time in the Ascension Land.

  They were overjoyed.

  But due to the time flow, a thousand years passed inside while only one year passed outside.

  In one year, no new ascendants arrived.

  And the ancestors’ ability to gain fortune became extremely difficult.

  The ancestors sought out Lu Jiulian.

  After all, the Ascension Land had founded the Heavenly Court, and Lu Jiulian currently presided over it.

  When they had waged war against the upper-realm holy clans, it was the Heavenly Court that organized them. Now, facing difficulties, they naturally turned to the organization.

  They reported their problem to Lu Jiulian.

  Lu Jiulian was a Xuan Immortal—far stronger than most Human Immortal and True Immortal ancestors.

  This issue, raised to Lu Jiulian, naturally reached Lu.

  Lu paused slightly.

  He had somewhat neglected these ancestors.

  Because of the time acceleration, their original high-martial worlds’ fortune was gained very slowly.

  Thus, their cultivation progress had stalled.

  Not because they couldn’t advance—but because they couldn’t acquire enough fortune.

  For Lu, this was also a matter worth addressing.

  After all, these ancestors had chosen to ascend through the Heavenly Gate and become one of his sources of spiritual energy contributions.

  Lu tapped lightly on the wheelchair armrest.

  Slow down the time array?

  Lu shook his head. He discarded the idea. With the appearance of the imperial blood, the mysterious entities in the Void Heaven rift could descend at any moment.

  Lu needed to seize every opportunity to strengthen the Five Phoenixes.

  Moreover, according to Micah, the nine heavens’ Heavenly Dao and the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor had already taken notice.

  The time left for the Five Phoenixes to develop in peace was running out.

  Two tigers cannot share one mountain. Likewise, the Heavenly Spirit Clan would not allow a second First-Derivation High-Martial world to emerge in the nine heavens and compete for resources.

  “So, how to solve this?”

  Lu frowned.

  Soon, his eyes lit up. White lines surged in his pupils. The entire Void Heaven appeared before him.

  Void Heaven was no longer what it once was.

  With the rise of the Five Phoenixes as a top-tier high-martial world, other worlds had also been influenced, beginning their own upgrades.

  Now, the number of high-martial worlds in Void Heaven was no longer scarce, but still not many.

  Compared to the millions of high-martial worlds in Pingyang Heaven and Blood Fiend Heaven, Void Heaven was indeed lacking.

  “If that’s the case, why not make use of the many mid-martial and low-martial worlds in Void Heaven?”

  “This is also fortune. Let these ancestors find ways to elevate mid-martial worlds in Void Heaven to high-martial. If successful, they gain fortune, and I gain spiritual energy contributions.”

  “Moreover, the Ascension Land can become a destination for beings in Void Heaven who break their world’s shackles. Those capable of shattering their world’s limits are surely peerless geniuses. With sufficient resources, they will advance dramatically, and I will receive massive spiritual energy contributions!”

  Lu’s eyes blazed. He made his decision and slammed his hand down, delighted.

  He entered the Transmission Platform to deduce.

  It seemed simple, but…

  It was far from easy.

  Void Heaven now belonged to the nine heavens and was covered by their rules.

  What Lu planned was to break the nine heavens’ rules and establish his own.

  Thus, Lu had to be fully alert.

  He simulated countless times in the Transmission Platform, but none were perfect. Every method risked provoking the nine heavens’ Heavenly Dao will.

  After all, altering rules touched the Heavenly Dao’s bottom line.

  Once crossed, the Heavenly Dao would not tolerate it.

  “What if the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao quietly covers Void Heaven?”

  Lu’s white robes fluttered as he sat cross-legged on the Transmission Platform’s Eight Trigrams array, deep in thought.

  Since he had thought of it, he would do it.

  He controlled the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao, slowly extending branches beyond the Five Phoenixes.

  These branches connected to the mid-martial worlds in Void Heaven.

  The nine heavens’ Heavenly Dao showed no reaction.

  Lu’s eyes lit up. Success!

  He exited the Transmission Platform. With a thought, he entered the Origin Space.

  Following the simulation, he began implementation.

  Zhu Long was currently in her Candle Dragon form, swallowing and refining the Heavenly Dao.

  Ever since tasting the power of Heavenly Dao empowerment, she had grown increasingly addicted to that strength.

  She worked harder than ever to swallow the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao, accelerating the refinement of origin Dao Essence.

  Soon, following the simulation, she guided countless branches of the Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao to connect with the mid-martial worlds in Void Heaven.

  And with words that became law, she established the rules.

  Cultivators in these mid-martial worlds who broke their world’s shackles could shatter the spatial barriers and ascend to the Five Phoenixes.

  In the Ascension Land.

  Lu Jiulian opened his eyes.

  He sat atop the ancient Heavenly Court ruins. A green lotus bloomed as he slowly expounded the Dao.

  The ancestors from the lower three heavens sat quietly, listening to a Xuan Immortal’s lecture.

  Soon, many ancestors’ eyes lit up.

  Lu Jiulian seemed to sense something. He shared his guess with them, instructing them to help elevate mid-martial worlds in Void Heaven to high-martial and gain fortune.

  It was as if a new world had opened for them.

  After bidding farewell, the ancestors descended upon various mid-martial worlds.

  The current Five Phoenixes were vast, nearly encompassing all of Void Heaven. Thus, the time array also covered the entire Void Heaven.

  Under such accelerated time, the ancestors were confident they could complete the transformation from mid-martial to high-martial.

  Above Origin Lake.

  Lu placed a piece. The Spirit-Pressure Chessboard displayed the scene, filling him with satisfaction.

  He smiled and placed another piece.

  On the chessboard, the Void Heaven scenes appeared, with countless strands of spiritual energy surging toward the Five Phoenixes like ten thousand swords returning to their origin.

  Lu’s total spiritual energy began to rise rapidly.

  His strength achieved a massive leap.

  …

  In Void Heaven, time flew.

  But in the first heaven, on the Heavenly Spirit Continent, time flowed normally.

  In the Holy Hall.

  Saints of the Heavenly Spirit Clan argued heatedly, cloaked in holy light, some visibly angry.

  They were still debating the conquest of the Five Phoenixes.

  Because of Micah’s delays, the plan had yet to begin.

  “Lord Micah! We cannot let the Five Phoenixes continue developing!”

  “The Five Phoenixes have already absorbed over a million strands of Dao Essence from the upper-realm nine great holy clans. Though refining Dao Essence takes time, the Five Phoenixes are under a time array—time is accelerated. We must act quickly and crush them!”

  “Yes! There can be only one First-Derivation in the nine heavens. Another would reduce the resources allocated by the Heavenly Dao. This is not good news for the Heavenly Spirit Clan!”

  Saints with powerful auras spoke up.

  Yet Micah sat with eyes closed, clad in loose robes, unmoving.

  He knew the Five Phoenixes were developing quickly.

  He knew even more than they did. Under accelerated time,

  The time flow in Void Heaven had reached a terrifying one thousand to one!

  They knew the Five Phoenixes had time acceleration, but they did not know the exact ratio.

  Micah did not tell them. Doing so would only add fuel to the fire.

  “No need to panic… I have already sent word to the Ancient Emperor. Once the Emperor replies, we will move.”

  Micah spoke calmly and confidently.

  “Besides, what harm is there in another First-Derivation in the nine heavens? Look at the Heavenly Spirit Clan now—lacking motivation, lacking threat. How many Saints have lost their drive?”

  Micah said.

  The surrounding Holy Hall Saints were left speechless, stifled.

  If not for Micah being the Hall Master, they might have suspected he was colluding with the Five Phoenixes.

  Of course, they knew that was impossible.

  The Hall Master’s status was supreme in the nine heavens—second only to the Heavenly Spirit Ancient Emperor.

  No one was more exalted than Micah.

  So he had no reason to collude with the Five Phoenixes.

  “The Ancient Emperor is deep in the outer void battlefield… who knows when he will return? By the time he replies, the Five Phoenixes may already be First-Derivation.”

  “Lord Micah, please issue the order quickly.”

  “With forty-nine Holy Hall Saints and your Quasi-Emperor strength, we can easily destroy the Five Phoenixes and eliminate future threats for the Heavenly Spirit Clan!”

  The Saints pleaded earnestly.

  Micah listened with eyes closed, nodding seriously from time to time.

  “You all make good points…”

  “But there’s no rush. These are troubled times. With Void Heaven’s rules gone, the ancient Emperors may be returning. This is not the time for major conflicts. Let us observe for now.”

  Micah said.

  He would buy the Five Phoenixes as much time as possible.

  Since he had placed his hopes in them, there was no turning back.

  In the nine heavens… his chance of breaking through to Great Emperor was slim.

  But the Five Phoenixes, having birthed an independent Heavenly Dao, were his only hope.

  Time passed amid arguments.

  Suddenly.

  While they debated,

  Micah’s eyes snapped open.

  Boom!

  A terrifying wave swept across the entire nine heavens.

  It was a will that made even Micah’s body and soul tremble faintly.

  A powerful will seemed to try to invade his mind.

  Micah roared in fury. His aura erupted, fiercely resisting the intrusion.

  He, Micah, refused to become a puppet!

  After a prolonged struggle, the will seemed impatient. It abandoned Micah.

  Suddenly.

  One of the Holy Hall Saints shuddered and groaned.

  In the next moment, his eyes were engulfed in endless white light.

  Holy radiance enveloped him, as though the rules of order had become tangible, coiling around his body.

  “Heavenly Dao will…”

  Micah panted, staring at the transformed Saint.

  His heart sank.

  The Heavenly Dao will had returned.

  The white-eyed Saint rose. Countless chains of order clanged around him.

  He turned his head, glancing at Micah with a strange smile.

  Boom!

  A surge of power erupted.

  As though piercing through space and time, he vanished from the first heaven, heading straight for the Five Phoenixes.

  Micah’s pupils contracted.

  “Damn it… what exactly did Young Master Lu do?”