“Dao! Dao! Dao! Dao! Dao! Dao!” Six resounding cries of the Dao erupted.
The very fabric of reality warped. The surrounding landscape twisted, mountains inverted, and the starry sky seemed to collapse beneath their feet, causing a dizzying sense of disorientation. This was the raw impact of Dao Essence.
With a thunderous roar, the Great Emperor Dao Patterns transformed into endless, brilliant starlight, cascading down from the heavens. Every thread of light contained profound, ineffable mystery, striking Ye Chen and the other disciples, subjecting them to immense pressure.
Ye Chen gritted his teeth. Behind him, the Martial Dao Furnace manifested, radiating overwhelming power. Brilliant Divine Radiance surged from his body as the power of the Desolate Heaven Art resonated with the surrounding Dao Essence. The Great Dao is formless, the Dao to One.
Harnessing the Great Emperor Dao Patterns, Ye Chen once again saw the back of the white-robed figure—the Desolate Heaven Emperor—who stood alone against eternity, his back to all living beings. His gaze reflected the vast cosmos, his aura surging, supreme through the ages!
"I am the Desolate Heaven Emperor, destined to Suppress all enemies in the world!" Ye Chen roared, activating the newly refined Desolate Heaven Art. His Martial Dao Will erupted like a golden ocean, crushing everything around him.
Luo Lingkong felt a surge of battle intent. He had achieved new enlightenment recently, elevating his Sword Dao. Let's test Junior Brother Ye Chen's Martial Dao Will! The next instant, “Pfft!” Luo Lingkong spat out a mouthful of blood essence. He was utterly defeated by Ye Chen’s will alone!
Seeing this, Liu Xuan offered a charming smile, commenting to Fang Yan, "Junior Brother Ye Chen is too powerful! Luo Lingkong used to suppress us for a decade, and now he's repeatedly suppressed by Ye Chen!"
"Indeed," Fang Yan agreed.
Boom! Brilliant spiritual runes flashed across Ye Chen's body as he plunged into deep enlightenment! A torrent of energy surged through his inner world. Endless profound mysteries washed over his limbs and bones, and his cultivation began to skyrocket: Profound Venerate Stage Seven! Profound Venerate Stage Eight! ... Breakthrough followed enlightenment in rapid succession!
Tianyuan Old Ancestor and Cangxuan Old Ancestor exchanged glances, slightly startled. "This Martial Dao Will is too intense! Ye Chen's future path is immeasurable!"
Chen Changsheng mused internally, "Second Senior Brother is truly extraordinary."
While the other True Disciples—Liu Xuan, Luo Lingkong, and Fang Yan—also experienced transformations, they paled in comparison to Ye Chen. Ye Chen was undoubtedly the most brilliant star here. Tianyuan Old Ancestor was highly satisfied, until his gaze fell upon Chen Changsheng.
At this moment, the top True Disciples were all enveloped in Divine Radiance, forming a river of stars, with Ye Chen shining brightest. Chen Changsheng stood right beside him, his aura dim and withered, like a death star. The contrast was stark: a giant sun next to the deepest night.
The Sect Master, watching Chen Changsheng, felt his face twitch. "That guy Chen Changsheng isn't going to be useless, like Lu Xuan, is he? Getting nothing?"
Hearing this, Chen Changsheng slowly, deliberately, allowed his cultivation to rise from Profound Venerate Late-stage to Profound Venerate Late-stage Great Perfection, emitting a faint starlight. In reality, Chen Changsheng was aggressively absorbing Tianyuan Old Ancestor's Dao Essence, gaining profound insights into the Grand Dao Scripture. But to outsiders, it appeared Ye Chen was the one absorbing the vast majority of the Dao Essence.
Chen Changsheng’s gaze was profound. Having a senior brother is truly wonderful. Let Second Senior Brother bear this Causality...
The Sect Master sighed, disappointed. "Chen Changsheng gained something, but not much."
Tianyuan Old Ancestor smiled faintly. "Ye Chen's performance far exceeds my expectations!" He waved his sleeve, further increasing the power of the Great Emperor Dao Pattern Baptism. But it's still not enough! Tianyuan Old Ancestor commanded, "Again!" Still, Ye Chen endured. The Sect Master was deeply shocked that Ye Chen could withstand such terrifying Great Emperor Dao Patterns.
Tianyuan Old Ancestor was momentarily stunned. "If I hadn't personally watched them enter the Dao Pattern Pool, I would suspect there was a high-star Great Emperor hidden among them!"
The Sect Master chuckled. "It just proves how heaven-defying the cultivation technique Ye Chen practices is!" Chen Changsheng remained silent.
Meanwhile, Lu Xuan was leisurely reclining. The System's voice chimed in his ear.
“Ding! Host's second disciple, Ye Chen, is increasing his cultivation! Synchronization initiated!”
“Ding! Host's second disciple, Ye Chen, has gained enlightenment regarding the Desolate Heaven Art! Synchronization initiated!”
“Ding! Host's third disciple's enlightenment regarding the Grand Dao Scripture has increased! Synchronization initiated!”
As the notifications faded, a surge of pure spiritual energy flowed into Lu Xuan's body, like a gentle stream. Lu Xuan checked his status—Ye Chen had already broken through to the Profound Saint realm! Simultaneously, a flood of profound, mysterious insights filled his mind. The Desolate Heaven Art and the Grand Dao Scripture illuminated each other, shining like brilliant fireworks.
"Not bad, not bad," Lu Xuan murmured, nodding contentedly.
Ten days later. Lu Xuan glanced at his status panel. Ye Chen had already broken through to Six-star Profound Saint. Chen Changsheng's cultivation remained stubbornly suppressed at Two-star Great Emperor Late-stage, though he had gained massive comprehension of the Grand Dao Scripture. The first volume of the Grand Dao Scripture was nearing Great Perfection!
Lu Xuan muttered, "What is up with Old Third? So much 'Gou Dao.'"
Lu Xuan shook his head mildly and entered his thatched hut to cook. Ye Chen and Chen Changsheng should be returning today, so he prepared extra dishes: Spicy Golden Crow Cubes, Twice-Cooked Fire Dragon Meat, and Golden Crow Soup...
Before long, Lu Xuan ate alone, leaving two portions for his disciples. When evening came, Ye Chen and Chen Changsheng still hadn't returned. Lu Xuan sent a mental transmission to the Sect Master, asking for an update.
The Sect Master replied, "They are still in the Dao Pattern Pool, refining the Dao Essence. It should take a few more days."
"Understood," Lu Xuan replied. He reheated one of the remaining portions and ate it himself. Only one portion remained.
Lu Xuan mused, "It's time to send the Howling Heaven spear to Fuyao. I'll save this last meal for her." With that thought, Lu Xuan immediately activated the Supreme Great Emperor Dao Patterns.
"Boom!" The Power of Spatial Array Patterns surged around him, and he vanished instantly from Azure Mystery Peak.
***
Fangzhou.
Ji Fuyao and her subordinates had just annihilated the Heavenly Net Hall Branch in Fangzhou and were collecting the cultivation resources. Wang Man whispered, "Empress, although no one has dared to attack, the number of high-star Great Emperors closing in has increased significantly these past few days."
Divine Radiance flowed in Ji Fuyao's beautiful eyes. "No matter."
Qing Yan voiced her concern. "Empress, I worry someone will lose patience! Although Tianyuan Old Ancestor's last move deterred many states, the Half-step Supreme bounty is simply too tempting."
As her voice fell, several high-star Great Emperors, their auras surging, finally made their move, crossing the void! Leading them was Great Emperor Chen Yuan, a Seven-star Emperor Realm expert. Great Emperor Chen Yuan swept his sleeve, bringing the others charging toward Ji Fuyao.
They were betting! They didn't believe the White Robe Great Emperor was constantly following her in secret! Killing intent instantly filled the air!
Suddenly, "Boom!" The void tore open, and space twisted violently! Lu Xuan, clad in a white robe, emerged from the spatial rift, enveloped in brilliant Divine Radiance. In one hand, he held a wooden tray bearing two dishes, one soup, and a bowl of steaming rice, all hot and steaming.
Seeing this, the high-star Great Emperors who were about to attack froze mid-air, as if struck by lightning. They stammered, terrified, "The W-White Robe Great Emperor?"
Their faces instantly turned ashen. What the actual hell! How did the White Robe Great Emperor suddenly descend here?
The next instant, Great Emperor Chen Yuan suddenly looked into the distance and cried out in alarm, "What? Something happened to my Chen Family? I must return immediately!" Then, Great Emperor Chen Yuan and his companions activated Divine Arcs beneath their feet, tearing through the void, preparing to flee.
Everyone present was dumbfounded. Uh... what? The Chen Family suddenly had an emergency?
Lu Xuan frowned slightly. The strongest among these fleeing cultivators was a Seven-star Great Emperor. Using his Great Emperor Experience Card on them would be a waste. With that thought, Lu Xuan pointed at a Grey-robed Old Man in the depths of the void, an Eight-star Emperor Realm expert. "You. Come here."
The Grey-robed Old Man scrambled forward, terrified, and immediately dropped to his knees before Lu Xuan. Catching the scent of the delicious food, he said, his face pale with horror, "White Robe Senior, I swear to Heaven, I absolutely had no intention of attacking Empress Fuyao!"
Lu Xuan pointed toward Great Emperor Chen Yuan and the others. "Go. Kill those people!"