“Junior Sister, I just remembered something I need to take care of.”
Chen Changsheng turned to make a swift exit, but Xuanji Holy Lord’s calm voice stopped him dead. With a sigh, he reluctantly returned.
Xuanji Holy Lord produced a large cauldron and began to stoke a gentle flame beneath it. With a soft surge of power from her crystalline jade palm, she carefully placed the Great Demon spirit meat into the cauldron, beginning her culinary endeavor.
Lu Xuan rubbed his stomach. “You know, I’m actually not all that hungry,” he mumbled, a faint tremor of dread already settling in.
Xuanji Holy Lord merely bit her lip, remaining silent.
“Lu Xuan,” the Silver-haired Woman spoke up, “Chen Changsheng and I ventured to Cloudrise Holy Land this time, but we still couldn’t locate my sister.”
Lu Xuan casually extended a hand, conjuring a vivid memory fragment from Ji Qianshan’s mind. “Xiao Yin,” he asked, “is this Fox Fortune Holy Land connected to your clan?”
The Silver-haired Woman gazed at the memory, a shadow of sorrow crossing her features. “Fox Fortune Holy Land… that’s our home,” she murmured. “But it was devastated during the Bronze Ancient Palace conflict. Our Holy Land went into seclusion, hiding itself within the Star Sea to preserve the legacy of our Supreme Fox Clan. It hasn’t emerged since.”
Lu Xuan simply nodded, a faint, unconcerned hum escaping his lips. “I see.”
The Silver-haired Woman’s brow furrowed. “Then what I’ve been sensing all this time… was it not my sister, but perhaps an awakened ancestral bloodline from our Fox Clan?”
“Our Fox Fortune Holy Land was once a power of the Ancient Ancestor Realm,” she continued, her voice tinged with bitterness. “During the struggle for the Bronze Ancient Palace, even though we managed to secure it, we were targeted by multiple Ancient Ancestor-level factions. Now, we’re hunted across the entire Star Sea.”
“Your sister must be in hiding somewhere,” Chen Changsheng observed. “Even Liu Ruyan is trying to capture her now. It’s probably for the best that you haven’t found her.”
The Silver-haired Woman looked back at the memory. “But why has my sister become a Three-tailed Demon Fox?” she wondered, a fresh wave of concern washing over her. “Has her cultivation fallen again? She carries such a heavy burden.”
“What cultivation level is a Three-tailed Demon Fox?” Lu Xuan asked casually.
“Roughly equivalent to a One-rotation Star Venerate Realm,” the Silver-haired Woman replied. “But I distinctly remember my sister being in the Myriad Phase Realm when we parted ways!”
“Among our Supreme Fox Clan, the number of tails directly correlates with one’s cultivation level,” she explained.
“So, nine tails is the peak?” Lu Xuan inquired.
The Silver-haired Woman nodded. “Yes. Our Ancient Ancestor, Tamamo-no-Mae, was a Nine-tailed Demon Fox. Tragically, she was ambushed by several Ancient Ancestors. Severely wounded, she poured her last strength into sealing our Fox Fortune Holy Land before vanishing without a trace.”
“Tell me about that battle,” Lu Xuan prompted, his tone still casual.
The Silver-haired Woman shook her head. “I was too young then, I don’t recall many details. I only know that when the Bronze Ancient Palace manifested in the Fallen Star Sea, numerous Ancient Ancestor-level powers from the First Star Ring launched their attacks. The battle was so fierce it shattered the Star Rings, causing vast portions of the Fallen Star Sea to collapse into the abyss.”
“Our Fox Fortune Holy Land was gravely wounded, and other Ancient Ancestor-level factions, like the Yanwu Sect, suffered similar devastation, unable to maintain their foothold in the First Star Ring. Many other powers, such as the Panshi Sect, Qianhuan Sect, and One Sword Sect, were also swept into the brutal melee.”
“Afterward, my sister entrusted the Bronze Ancient Palace to me, instructing me to flee the First Star Ring. I don’t know how I ended up in the Tai Chu Realm.”
“Xiao Qing once told me that in the ancient epochs, the Tai Chu Realm was unimaginably powerful, surpassing even today’s Ancient Ancestor-level factions,” she added. “But now it’s incredibly weak. Perhaps that’s why I drifted here.”
Just as she finished speaking, the Green-skirted Girl bounced into view. “That’s right, that’s right!” she chirped. “But I don’t remember much now. So many things have slipped my mind.” She blinked her bright, wide eyes and rubbed her head, a confused frown on her face. “What exactly happened in the past?”
Lu Xuan ruffled the Green-skirted Girl’s hair. “Never mind it,” he said dismissively. “If you can’t remember, don’t bother trying.”
The Silver-haired Woman continued, “That battle significantly amplified the power of The Void in the Fallen Star Sea.”
Lu Xuan raised an eyebrow. “The Void?”
“It’s that black hole near the Tai Chu Realm!” the Silver-haired Woman explained. “That’s The Void, a power that even Ancient Ancestors dread. Should it ever fully erupt, it could swallow this entire Fallen Star Sea.”
“That’s why Ancient Ancestors place such immense importance on the Star Rings,” she elaborated. “They use the power of the Star Rings to balance the entire Fallen Star Sea. It acts as both a ‘high wall’ for cosmic hierarchy and a means to maintain equilibrium with The Void’s destructive force.”
Lu Xuan gave a slight, unconcerned nod.
Seems the Fallen Star Sea is far more complex than it appears, Lu Xuan mused internally. Even as a Three-star Supreme, capable of instantly annihilating Six-star Supremes, I’m still a bit… underpowered, he thought, a hint of dramatic irony in his self-assessment. Ancient Ancestor Realm, Myriad Phase Realm… I can’t even touch a Star Venerate Realm cultivator yet! Time to lie flat and let my disciples do the heavy lifting for a while. They’ll just have to cultivate harder.
Just then, the Silver-haired Woman said, her voice firm, “Lu Xuan, you promised you’d help me find my sister. You must help me.”
“Don’t worry,” Lu Xuan replied with a casual wave of his hand. “I’ll step in when the time is right.”
The Silver-haired Woman immediately sagged with relief. If Lu Xuan had promised, then nothing was impossible. Lu Xuan, however, clearly didn’t consider it a top priority. His current focus remained squarely on his disciples, followed closely by eating… and sleeping.
The Silver-haired Woman couldn’t help but pout. “Lu Xuan, how can you be so… Zen about everything?” she grumbled. “Ancient Ancestor-level powers are scheming across the entire Fallen Star Sea, using the boundless cosmos as their chessboard and countless stars as their pieces, yet you’re still just lying flat here in the Tai Chu Realm!”
Lu Xuan remained speechless.
“With Master’s power, he’s long since transcended such petty schemes,” Chen Changsheng declared sagely. “Any problem that can be solved with a punch doesn’t require a single thought. Why bother with strategy when you possess absolute might?” He paused, then added, “In Master’s view, those Ancient Ancestors are just a bunch of old, cunning fools who can’t even calculate their own demise.”
Lu Xuan’s face twitched imperceptibly. Since his disciple had laid it out so eloquently, Lu Xuan had no choice but to maintain the facade.
Nearby, Xuanji Holy Lord was diligently, if somewhat awkwardly, preparing the meal. Three Heaven and Earth Wonders—Azure Nether Celestial Water, All-Reach Profound Powder, and Azure Origin Sweet Dew—were carefully added to the cauldron. Mysterious energies surged and swirled, but under her touch, they transformed into something… unique.
Chen Changsheng’s brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Soon after, Xuanji Holy Lord approached, carrying a tray laden with steaming dishes: Stir-fried Spirit Pepper Golden Crow, Spirit Bean Stewed Fire Jiao…
With a flick of his wrist, Lu Xuan conjured a stone table, intricately carved with Dao patterns, and several matching stools.
Everyone took their seats.
“I don’t have much of an appetite today,” Lu Xuan announced, forcing a casual smile. “Let’s just have a light taste.” He took a single, swift bite, then, without a word, reclined onto his lounge chair. The meal rendered him utterly speechless, his composure shattered. Gods, it’s truly awful… he thought, a silent scream echoing in his mind.
Xuanji Holy Lord remained unmoving, her expression unreadable.
The Green-skirted Girl took one bite, then instantly sprang up. “Lu Xuan, I still need to refine Star Cores!” she declared, already backing away. “I’ll be going now, bye-bye!”
In a blink, the Green-skirted Girl vanished without a trace.
Xuanji Holy Lord’s expression remained unchanged, but a faint blush touched her cheeks.
Chen Changsheng took a bite, his face instantly contorting into a grimace. He then abruptly turned to Lu Xuan. “Master,” he said, his voice urgent, “I’ve just recalled a matter of utmost importance! We eliminated those elders from Cloudrise Holy Land. I must dispatch two puppet clones there immediately to prevent them from growing suspicious.”
Lu Xuan casually flicked two identity tokens in Chen Changsheng’s direction. Chen Changsheng caught them deftly. Before leaving, Chen Changsheng stepped into the Eerie Abyss. He turned to the assembled powerhouses of the Ancient Desolate Forbidden Zone, a faint, almost mischievous smile playing on his lips. “Xuanji Holy Lord has prepared some dishes for you all,” he announced. “They’re infused with three Heaven and Earth Wonders: Azure Nether Celestial Water, All-Reach Profound Powder, and Azure Origin Sweet Dew. Do go and have a taste.”
…