“No worries. I’ll make my move when the time is right!” Nangong Baixue declared with unwavering confidence.
She had already refined a vast amount of inherited power, breaking through to One-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme! As soon as she completed her refinement and stepped into the Three-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme realm, she would act.
Taichen Old Ancestor and the others exchanged awkward glances. Many factions in the Southern Wilds had already entered the Supreme Path, reaping immense benefits from bathing in Starry Sky Power. For a Quasi-Dao Supreme, this was a qualitative leap, an elevation to another dimension of power. Yet, under Nangong Baixue’s absolute command, not a single Quasi-Dao Supreme Old Ancestor from the Supreme Profound Sect had set foot on the Supreme Path. This was a monumental loss for them. But with Nangong Baixue now the undisputed leader of the Supreme Profound Sect, wielding the Ancestor’s inherited power, no one dared to defy her.
“I asked you to secretly investigate whether the Demon Court and other factions have contacted their Supreme Old Ancestors. What have you found?” Nangong Baixue inquired, her tone flat.
Taichen Old Ancestor’s expression turned solemn. “The Demon Court’s three Supreme Old Ancestors are all alive. According to the messages they’ve sent back, they’re doing quite well in the outside world, having established themselves as influential figures.”
Nangong Baixue frowned slightly.
Taichen Old Ancestor continued, “As for the three major Alien factions, I haven’t received any news yet. Dark Shadow Island, however, has also made contact with their Supreme Old Ancestor!”
“It’s fine,” Nangong Baixue said dismissively. “I can already sense Ancestor Liu Ruyan’s summons. She will descend upon this realm in due time.”
At her words, Taichen Old Ancestor and the others were overcome with excitement. So many years had passed; how powerful had Ancestor Liu Ruyan become?
Nangong Baixue waved a hand, addressing Taichen Old Ancestor, “Continue to monitor Ye Chen’s movements. Give me a little more time. Once I reach Three-rotation Quasi-Dao Supreme, the entire Southern Wilds will fall under the Supreme Profound Sect’s dominion!”
Taichen Old Ancestor and the others nodded. “Holy Maiden, time is running out for us.”
***
In Cloud City, within the Cloudrise Holy Land, Lu Xuan and his disciples were still watching the battle between a Titan Ape and a Blood Wolf Great Demon in the Beast Arena.
“Boom!”
The battle between the two Three-star Supreme Great Demons was terrifying beyond compare! It was a pure clash of Blood Essence Power and Physical Body Power!
Each strike landed like two colliding stars, unleashing torrents of power that surged outwards, capable of swallowing mountains and rivers. The Titan Ape’s body pulsed with Blood Essence Power like a roaring furnace, as it slammed a fist towards the Blood Wolf Great Demon!
The Blood Wolf Great Demon roared, tearing back with a claw, a blazing cold light descending like a long river!
“Boom!”
Both Great Demons were sent reeling tens of thousands of feet, their bodies already stained with blood. The cultivators watching in the arena roared with excitement.
After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Titan Ape emerged victorious.
Lu Xuan, for his part, had been asleep for almost the entire fight. Such battles held little interest for him.
Ji Fuyao and Xuanji Holy Lord, however, watched with keen enjoyment.
Everyone continued to watch the fights for another half-day. Next, the other two Supreme Old Ancestors of the Southern Wilds Demon Court, Giant Insect Ancestor and Profound Tortoise Ancestor, also entered the arena. The Beast Arena had heavily advertised that these three Great Demons all hailed from the Tai Chu Realm, the same small realm as Liu Ruyan. Because of this, the crowd’s cheers for them were particularly fervent.
Half a day later, Lu Xuan slowly opened his eyes. He watched as the Profound Tortoise Ancestor, despite winning, was carried away in a pathetic state, its shell cracked.
“That’s a bit rough,” Lu Xuan commented casually.
Ji Fuyao offered a small smile. Indeed! These three Demon Lords were once formidable figures, capable of stirring up storms in the Tai Chu Realm. Now, they were reduced to mere entertainment for others!
Lu Xuan looked at his disciples. “Alright, let’s go eat.”
Ji Fuyao chuckled. “Sounds good.”
They left the Beast Arena. Meanwhile, in the underground chambers of the arena, the three Demon Lords—Titan Ape, Giant Insect Ancestor, and Profound Tortoise Ancestor—lay battered and bruised.
A black-robed man entered, his voice cold. “The battle for the Supreme Fox Clan remnant is in two days. Until then, each of you will have three more fights!”
“Three fights?!” the Titan Ape exclaimed in shock. “Elder, we can’t take any more!”
The black-robed man snorted. “Can’t take it? You’ll take it! You and Lady Liu Ruyan both hail from the Tai Chu Realm. In two days, Lady Liu Ruyan will descend upon the Beast Arena. All of you had better perform well! Otherwise, what use is there for Cloudrise Holy Land to keep you?”
The three Demon Lords nodded subserviently. As the black-robed man departed, a flicker of resentment crossed their eyes.
“Damn it, they really treat us like cattle!” the Profound Tortoise Ancestor fumed.
The Giant Insect Ancestor’s face was grim. “That Liu Ruyan is a slut. She’s already a Star Venerate, and we’re from the same small realm, yet she offers no help, leaving us to suffer and fight for our lives!”
The Titan Ape clenched its fist. “She’s nothing but a hussy who climbed her way up with her body. You expect her to help us? Impossible. We’ve suffered even more because of her all these years!”
Moments later, the Titan Ape pulled out an ancient jade token from its Storage Ring. The token shimmered with light, mystical power flowing within. They knew it was a descendant of the Southern Wilds Demon Court attempting to contact them through an Ancestral Artifact.
“If we seal all the Great Demons of the Demon Court and bring them to Cloudrise Holy Land, perhaps we can earn some merit. Our lives might get easier then. What do you two think?” the Giant Insect Ancestor proposed.
The Titan Ape and Profound Tortoise Ancestor exchanged glances. “Then we’ll have to apologize to those juniors. Their power and Bloodline Power all come from us. It’s only right that they sacrifice themselves for our benefit!”
The Giant Insect Ancestor nodded. “Once this matter is settled, we’ll ask the Cloudrise Holy Land elders for permission to return to the Tai Chu Realm and capture all the demon beasts!”
“Agreed!”
“Agreed!”
***
Over the next two days, Lu Xuan took Ji Fuyao and the others on a leisurely tour through the various Star Realms of the Cloudrise Holy Land, eating and drinking their fill.
For Ji Fuyao and Xuanji Holy Lord, two days without cultivation felt a bit unbearable. After all, back in the Tai Chu Realm, they cultivated whenever they had a moment.
Lu Xuan smiled. “It’s only two days. You two should relax.” He sighed inwardly. His disciples were simply too diligent!
Ji Fuyao bit her lip. “Alright.”
The Silver-haired Woman, meanwhile, continuously activated secret arts, trying to locate her sister, Ah Li. She found nothing.
The Silver-haired Woman pouted, turning to Lu Xuan. “Lu Xuan, you should put some effort into this. With a sweep of your divine sense, wouldn’t you know exactly where my sister is?”
Lu Xuan’s face twitched. Uh, about that… I’m really not that strong.
“Master’s presence here is already a miracle,” Chen Changsheng interjected smoothly.
The Silver-haired Woman merely pouted, saying nothing more.
As they wandered, stopping frequently to explore, they eventually arrived near the Fourth Star Ring.
“Boom!”
The Star Ring stretched across the cosmos like a dazzling, immense river, surging with power.
“Master, it’s so beautiful!” Ji Fuyao exclaimed in awe.