“Are you sure you sensed your sister’s aura here?”
Chen Changsheng scanned their surroundings. The Fourth Star Ring stretched across the starry sky like a colossal, magnificent halo. It pulsed with profound Dao patterns and Rule power, bearing the indelible mark of cultivation beyond the Star Venerate Realm.
A single Star Ring separated two distinct worlds, an inner and an outer. This Star Ring didn’t just divide two regions of the starry sky; more importantly, it gathered the power of the stars, accelerating the cultivation speed of those within its embrace. As the gatekeeper of the Fourth Star Ring, Cloudrise Holy Land naturally held immense influence in the outer reaches of the Fallen Star Sea.
Cloudrise Holy Land governed several stars, each bustling with various factions moving in and out. Ancient cloud-ships, gleaming with brilliant divine radiance, traversed the void, a dazzling spectacle.
In the starry sky, the Silver-haired Woman pointed to one of Cloudrise Holy Land’s stars: Cloudrise Star.
“I sensed my sister’s aura on this star.”
Chen Changsheng frowned slightly. “Let’s go, we’ll check it out.”
After paying a thousand low-grade Star Stones, the two stepped onto Cloudrise Star.
The Silver-haired Woman continuously tracked her sister’s aura, which eventually led them to a city called Windcloud City. They searched the city for three days. No trace.
The Silver-haired Woman pouted. “I have a feeling my sister is deliberately avoiding me!”
Just as they were about to leave, Chen Changsheng noticed several elders emerging from a beast-fighting arena.
“Let’s go,” the Silver-haired Woman urged.
“Wait,” Chen Changsheng said.
He had spotted two familiar faces from the Tai Chu Realm. Two Old Ancestors from the Eastern Wilds Ji Family! Ji Ruhai and Ji Qianshan.
Both wore gray robes, their faces etched with worry. On their chests, two ancient characters were emblazoned: “Cloudrise.” These two were Outer Elders of Cloudrise Holy Land!
The Silver-haired Woman scoffed, “After all these years, they’re still only Three-star Supreme Realm? What a waste of cultivation!”
Just then, an ancient item in Ji Ruhai’s robes vibrated faintly. He frowned, pulled it out, and examined it for a long moment, then looked at Ji Qianshan with a hint of shock. “Our descendants in the Tai Chu Realm are actually trying to contact us?”
Ji Qianshan’s face was blank. “The Tai Chu Realm… such a distant memory!” Many years had passed since their ascension. Their memories of the Tai Chu Realm had grown hazy, like sand slipping through their fingers, impossible to grasp.
A moment later, Ji Qianshan mused, “I recall that after we ascended, we couldn’t locate the Tai Chu Realm in the Fallen Star Sea. We couldn’t contact our descendants, and they couldn’t contact us. To think we’re finally getting news now.”
Ji Ruhai gazed at the ancient item in his hand, his Spirit Art shifting as he activated a supreme secret technique. A nostalgic look entered his eyes. “Indeed. Four Supremes from our Ji family ascended, and two have already perished. For the two of us to secure positions as Outer Elders in Cloudrise Holy Land, it wasn’t easy.”
Ji Qianshan sighed. “True, we rose by sacrificing our ancestors. In the Eastern Wilds, in the Tai Chu Realm, we were lords among men. But after ascending, because we came from a distant, unranked star sea, our status here is worse than a dog’s!”
Ji Ruhai looked up at the colossal Star Ring spanning the void. “Exactly! This Fallen Star Sea cares even more about bloodline, power, and background than the Eastern Wilds. The four Star Rings divide the Fallen Star Sea into tiers, and we barely qualify as fourth-tier. That’s already quite good.”
Ji Qianshan suddenly had an idea. “If we can return to the Tai Chu Realm, perhaps we can bring out a group of descendants who are Half-step Supremes or higher. Cloudrise Holy Land currently needs people to test cultivation techniques. Let our descendants be those people.”
Ji Ruhai let out a sigh. “Descendants, don’t blame us for being ruthless. To gain a foothold in this Fallen Star Sea, a price must be paid! Testing cultivation techniques with your flesh and blood in Cloudrise Holy Land—though you will die, you will solidify our positions as Outer Elders!”
Ji Qianshan said, “This is also out of necessity for us. The Tai Chu Realm reappearing in the Star Sea is a good thing for us.”
Soon, the intermittent voice of Ji Yue Old Ancestor from the Eastern Wilds echoed from the ancient item in Ji Ruhai’s hand.
“Old… Old Ancestors! Are you… well?”
Ji Ruhai replied in a deep voice, “Quite well. When we return, we will guide you here!”
Ji Yue Old Ancestor asked, incredibly excited, “Old Ancestors, what… what should we do?”
Ji Ruhai instructed, “Long ago, we left behind an Ancestor Summoning Item. Activate it, and we will sense the coordinates of the Primordial Star’s mark. In a short while, we will be able to return to the Tai Chu Realm.”
Ji Yue Old Ancestor exclaimed, “Good… Old Ancestors, I will activate it immediately!”
A moment later, Ji Ruhai put away the ancient item. A glint suddenly appeared in his cloudy eyes as he looked at Ji Qianshan. “Speaking of the Tai Chu Realm, there’s much I can’t remember, but one person, even now, I haven’t forgotten.”
Ji Qianshan frowned. “Her?”
Both lowered their heads, each tracing four characters in Dao patterns in their palms: “Xuanji Holy Lord.” Even after endless epochs, they still couldn’t forget Xuanji Holy Lord!
Ji Qianshan frowned. “Xuanji Holy Lord’s peerless beauty surpasses even Liu Ruyan’s. If Liu Ruyan could become the Charm Sect Grand Elder, cultivating near the Second Star Ring and even gaining some renown in the Fallen Star Sea, then Xuanji Holy Lord, upon entering the Fallen Star Sea, would surely be even more sought after.”
Ji Ruhai agreed, “Indeed! Among us who ascended, only Liu Ruyan truly became a lord among men. To cultivate in the Second Star Ring with merely a Star Venerate Realm cultivation—it’s truly enviable!”
Ji Qianshan continued, “I wonder if Xuanji Holy Lord is still alive? This time, if we return to the Tai Chu Realm, we must bring Xuanji Holy Lord out with us!”
Not far away, Chen Changsheng and the Silver-haired Woman observed the scene.
The Silver-haired Woman snorted softly. “These wastes! After leaving the Tai Chu Realm, all they know is how to backstab their own descendants. Cultivating for so long just to reach Three-star Supreme Realm? They’ve utterly wasted their potential!”
Chen Changsheng replied, “Simply surviving in the Fallen Star Sea isn’t easy. For them to secure positions as Outer Elders in Cloudrise Holy Land, they’ve actually done quite well.”
The Silver-haired Woman said, “Fortunately, when these people left the Tai Chu Realm, Xiao Qing and I severed their memories. Otherwise, with their character, they would surely have exposed the secrets of the Bronze Ancient Palace. The Bronze Ancient Palace is an object even Ancient Ancestors covet. Once exposed, even Ancient Ancestors would be unable to resist the temptation, overturning rules to descend beyond the Fourth Star Ring.”
Chen Changsheng frowned slightly. “True. But there’s no need to worry. Should these Ancient Ancestors descend, Master only needs to lift a finger to annihilate them.”
The Silver-haired Woman nodded. “That’s certainly true. No one in the Fallen Star Sea can defeat that Lu Xuan fellow!”
Just then, three colossal demon beasts appeared on the wide street. Chen Changsheng paused, slightly surprised. “What a coincidence today.” More familiar faces. The three Demon Lords of the Southern Wilds Demon Court!
The Silver-haired Woman blinked. “Oh, they look so miserable.”