A cool breeze graced his shoulders, a sensation of freedom he hadn't felt in ages. A fleeting sense of ease crossed Titan Ape Ancestor Tian Nu's face, quickly replaced by a grimace as his gaze fell to his chest. The brand of Cloudrise Holy Land pulsed there, a constant, throbbing reminder of his humiliation. “Damn those Ji Family Old Ancestors!” he roared, his voice a low rumble. “We should have crushed them when we had the chance! If not for their meddling, we wouldn't be rotting as slaves in this cursed Beast Arena!”
Profound Tortoise Ancestor Feng Wanshan let out a weary sigh. “It's best not to stir up more trouble than we already have. Ji Ruhai and Ji Qianshan, despite being the lowest-ranked elders, are still part of Cloudrise Holy Land. We are in no position to provoke them.”
Giant Insect Ancestor Lü Yun nodded eagerly. “Precisely! We should make haste back to the Tai Chu Realm. Here, we're treated like dogs, but back home, we'll be kings!”
Titan Ape Ancestor Tian Nu's lips curled into a mocking smile. “Indeed! That puny Tai Chu Realm is ours for the taking. Its Heavenly Dao is barely a One-star Supreme in power. Once we're back, we'll seal off the realm, vanish into the Starry Sky, and rule!”
All three demon lords erupted in laughter, their minds already swimming with visions of the glorious days awaiting them back in the Southern Wilds. The thought of such unbridled power was almost intoxicating.
Titan Ape Ancestor Tian Nu suddenly paused, a thought striking him. “Wait, is Xuanji Holy Lord still alive?”
Giant Insect Ancestor Lü Yun licked his lips, a lecherous glint in his eyes. “To my mind, Xuanji Holy Lord's beauty is utterly peerless, far outshining Liu Ruyan. Though, Xuanji is a bit too icy, pushing everyone away. Liu Ruyan, on the other hand, is a tantalizing temptress, a master at manipulating hearts!”
Profound Tortoise Ancestor Feng Wanshan let out a low, guttural chuckle. “And once we're back, we'll unify all Five Domains!”
The three demon lords were instantly lost in their grandiose fantasies.
Titan Ape Ancestor Tian Nu glanced towards Cloud City, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes. “Do you think that White Robe Supreme we saw earlier was the Demon Fox Ah Li?”
Profound Tortoise Ancestor Feng Wanshan shook his head dismissively. “It matters not. That world is behind us now. We'll never cross paths with them again.”
Giant Insect Ancestor Lü Yun concurred with a heavy sigh. “Indeed.”
A profound shock still resonated deep within them. Never in their long, brutal lives had they witnessed Cloudrise Holy Land elders, powerful Supremes, annihilated with such savage ease! The disparity in power was simply unfathomable. It was clear to them that the White Robe Supreme hadn't even unleashed his true might.
Titan Ape Ancestor Tian Nu mused, “That Demon Fox Ah Li is a direct descendant of Ancient Ancestor Tamamo-no-Mae. She's on a completely different plane than us common demons!”
All three demon lords sighed in unison. “Aye. These Star Rings carve the Fallen Star Sea into a brutal hierarchy, a system of three, six, and nine ranks. And we? We're utterly insignificant, not even worthy of the lowest tier.”
With that, the three fell silent, their grand ambitions for the Tai Chu Realm momentarily overshadowing their current humiliation as they continued towards the black market.
***
Meanwhile, the entire star encompassing Cloud City was plunged into utter pandemonium. A mass exodus was underway, cultivators fleeing in droves. Such a catastrophic event in Cloud City today guaranteed a brutal reckoning from Cloudrise Holy Land. Panic rippled through the crowds as whispers turned to frantic shouts. “That Fox Clan is utterly insane! This act will only provoke Cloudrise Holy Land beyond measure!” “You're right! Cloudrise Holy Land is the absolute authority beyond the Fourth Star Ring!” “And that White Robe Supreme even ransacked the entire City Lord's Mansion! That's a naked declaration of war!”
It was widely known that Cloudrise Holy Land served as the formidable gatekeeper of the Fourth Star Ring. For tens of millennia, countless factions had dared to challenge their authority, only to be ruthlessly annihilated, their very roots torn asunder. The reason was simple: within the Fourth Star Ring, Cloudrise Holy Land commanded powerful backing. While they might act as subservient dogs to the truly dominant powers of the Fourth Star Ring, they, in turn, treated every smaller realm beyond it as their own personal hounds. Their absolute obedience was precisely what allowed them to maintain their iron grip as the Star Ring's gatekeepers. Over the years, Cloudrise Holy Land had relentlessly plundered the cultivation resources and living beings of these lesser realms, resulting in nearly seventy percent of the strongest cultivators from outside the Fourth Star Ring being forcibly gathered within their domain. Their ranks swelled with high-star Supremes.
This time, the entire outer Starry Sky was poised on the brink of an unprecedented bloodbath!
At that very moment, a grand Cloud Ship, bearing Demon Fox Ah Li and her retinue, was swiftly departing from Cloud City.
A grey-robed elder, one of Ah Li's loyalists, reported gravely, “I've conducted multiple scans, but the White Robe Supreme and Xiao Yin have completely vanished. Their traces are utterly gone!”
Ah Li's brow furrowed in concern. “That White Robe Supreme wields a terrifying spatial secret art. He simply vanished into thin air!”
The assembled Fox Clan experts nodded in agreement, their faces etched with worry. “Indeed. We can only hope Xiao Yin's fate with him is a good one.”
Ah Li's gaze grew heavy. “The White Robe Supreme's identity is highly suspect. From his every move, I couldn't glean a single clue about his true origins. He didn't even reveal his full power, making him utterly unfathomable.”
The grey-robed elder voiced her concern. “Xiao Yin has left our Fox Fortune Holy Land. I wonder what has become of the Bronze Ancient Palace? It's such a shame. That artifact was Ancient Ancestor Tamamo-no-Mae's life's work. We believed Xiao Yin could refine it, but she ultimately failed.”
Ah Li nodded slowly. “Yes. I, too, sensed a profound, almost fated connection between Xiao Yin and the Bronze Ancient Palace. To think it was merely an illusion...”
The grey-robed elder's gaze swept across the myriad fleeing factions in the Starry Sky, her eyes distant and troubled. “This time, while we suffered no casualties, that child was taken by the White Robe Supreme. And now, Cloudrise Holy Land undoubtedly harbors a deep-seated hatred for us! We must go into seclusion for a considerable period.”
Ah Li bit her lip in exasperation. “That White Robe Supreme really knows how to pass the buck, making us take the fall!”
A middle-aged man interjected, “And let's not forget Liu Ruyan! That woman is utterly ruthless and cunning. In her ascent to power, she's annihilated several factions from the Third Star Ring! She's a force to be reckoned with now, a master of ‘killing with a borrowed knife’.”
Ah Li sighed, a heavy weight on her shoulders. “Our position grows more precarious by the day!”
In her hand, an ancient, faintly glowing jade token materialized, its surface somewhat dim. This was the sacred key to reopening the Fox Fortune Holy Land. But it still required a significant infusion of Ancient Ancestor bloodline power. Their options were dwindling fast.
Ah Li gazed out into the vast Starry Sky, a silent plea on her lips. “Ancient Ancestor, are you truly still alive?”
***
Back in the Tai Chu Realm. With a mere thought, Lu Xuan effortlessly transported the entire group back to the Northern Plains.
The Silver-haired Woman and the Fox Clan Girl exchanged astonished glances. Such profound spatial mastery was simply beyond comprehension!
The Silver-haired Woman pouted, turning to Lu Xuan. “You know, Lu Xuan, with your power, you could have easily wiped out Cloudrise Holy Land. We didn't have to flee.”
Chen Changsheng quickly interjected, “Master's intervention was already a tremendous favor!”
The Fox Clan Girl regarded Lu Xuan with a curious gaze, then offered a heartfelt, “Thank you for your assistance, Senior!” A subtle, alluring charm, though still nascent, already shimmered around her, hinting at a captivating beauty yet to fully blossom.
Lu Xuan simply gave a faint, unconcerned nod.
Ji Fuyao approached the Fox Clan Girl, her expression unreadable. “What is your name?” she asked. The girl shook her head. “I... I don't have one.”
“Then let's call her Xiao Mo,” Lu Xuan said casually, as if naming a stray cat.
The Silver-haired Woman couldn't help but mutter, “That's... incredibly casual.”
Yet, the Fox Clan Girl's eyes lit up. “It's beautiful! Truly beautiful!”
The Silver-haired Woman was speechless.
Chen Changsheng turned to Xiao Mo. “For the time being, you should seclude yourself and cultivate.” Xiao Mo nodded obediently. “Understood.”
With a flick of his wrist, Chen Changsheng enveloped Xiao Mo in a shimmering light, sending her directly into the Bronze Ancient Palace.
Just then, Xuanji Holy Lord spoke up, her tone calm and resolute. “I shall prepare a meal for everyone.”
A collective silence descended, thick with unspoken dread. Chen Changsheng's eyes widened imperceptibly. “Fourth Senior Sister,” he stammered, “I just remembered I have... urgent matters to attend to. I must depart at once!” And with that, he vanished in a blur.