Ding! Quest issued: Annihilate all incoming Eerie Domain Emissaries within three days!
The sound of the notification faded, and Lu Xuan murmured, "So, these 'emissaries' have finally decided to show their faces."
He glanced up at the starry sky. In just a few days, Ye Chen's diligent work had significantly refined the Dao patterns governing this Star Sea.
The Dark Void persisted, and within it, the Void Kun continued to grow, devouring the Fallen Power. Yet, this vast Dark Void was merely a speck, a drop in the ocean, compared to the true Dark Void residing within Lu Xuan himself.
When he'd confronted the Eerie Lord, Lu Xuan had briefly manifested as the Dark Void. But that wasn't his true, full power. The Dark Void within him was constantly expanding, a terrifying domain that dwarfed even the vast Primordial Star Domain. He hadn't fully integrated his past life's memories yet, which was why he'd always felt a strange sense of bewilderment about the black hole residing within him. He still didn't quite understand how such a monstrous power had come to be, but he wasn't particularly bothered by the mystery.
No rush at all. Once these incoming Eerie Domain Emissaries were dealt with, Ye Chen would likely have finished refining the Fallen Star Sea. Then, he could finally lead Ji Fuyao and the rest of his disciples out into the truly boundless cosmos! He painted a grand future for them, a casual stroke of destiny.
Lu Xuan casually sent a voice transmission to Ye Chen. "Ye Chen, the Eerie Domain powerhouses will be here any moment. Feel free to test your limits against them, but remember: if you can't win, run."
Ye Chen's voice, brimming with martial fervor, instantly replied, "Losing is one thing, Master, but not fighting? That's not an option. I need to gauge the true gap between myself and a Heavenly God."
Lu Xuan was speechless. This kid… always so eager for a fight.
***
Meanwhile, in the vast expanse of the Primordial Star Domain, a realm often described as 'shattered' or 'broken,' powerhouses still thrived. Its peak experts had ascended to the Nine-star Heavenly God Realm, with some even reaching the Half-step Divine Venerate Realm.
Among its myriad star seas, the Tian Yuan Star Sea and the Ling Xu Star Sea stood as the undisputed titans. The Tian Yuan Star Palace commanded the former, while the renowned Ling Xu Pill Sect led the latter.
Though the Primordial Star Domain lacked a true Domain Lord, the countless powerhouses across its star seas unofficially acknowledged the Tian Yuan Star Sea and Ling Xu Star Sea as their paramount authorities.
Within the grand halls of the Tian Yuan Star Palace, Palace Lord Mo Wenshan, clad in somber grey robes, sat stiffly on his throne. Beside him, an Eerie Domain elder reclined with an air of casual arrogance.
"It's empty," the Guiming Emissary drawled, his voice laced with an unspoken demand.
Mo Wenshan immediately sprang to his feet, personally brewing a fresh pot of tea. With a barely perceptible wince of heartache, he produced a Star Sea Condensation Pearl—no larger than a pinky fingernail—and dropped it into the Guiming Emissary's cup. "Guiming Emissary," he began, trying to sound casual, "I've noticed several Heavenly God emissaries heading towards the fringes of our Star Domain these past few days. Has something... occurred?"
Guiming Emissary took a leisurely sip of the spiritual tea, the Dao Power from the Star Sea Condensation Pearl instantly absorbed. "A triviality," he dismissed with a wave of his hand. "One of our Eerie Domain Emissaries was killed in a small Star Sea on the frontier. Before he expired, he managed to mark the location."
"Ah, I understand," Mo Wenshan replied, settling back into his seat, feigning disinterest. He didn't truly care. Eerie Domain Emissaries rarely failed when using Eerie Power to corrupt a Star Sea; it was almost unheard of. But with countless Star Seas to exploit, even the most cunning Eerie Domain Emissary was bound to slip up eventually. Still, to be annihilated in a frontier Star Sea, a place typically teeming with only the weakest of beings, was truly unexpected.
Such a minor setback was hardly worth dwelling on. Even if the deceased Eerie Race emissary had managed to transmit the Star Sea's coordinates, Mo Wenshan doubted many Eerie Domain powerhouses would bother. There was simply no profit to be gained from such a desolate place.
The Primordial Star Domain had been in decline for ages. Even the Tian Yuan Star Sea and Ling Xu Star Sea, despite holding the core regions, felt the Dao aura growing thinner by the day. This decay was partly the Primordial Star Domain's inevitable fate, but largely due to the absence of a Domain Lord, allowing the Eerie Race to relentlessly bleed it dry, accelerating its demise.
Though many star seas nominally deferred to the Tian Yuan Star Sea, Mo Wenshan had no intention of playing the hero. He wasn't a Domain Lord, so why should he risk everything to confront the Eerie Domain Emissaries? They were countless, like a plague of termites, slowly but surely devouring the entire Star Sea. And they were from the Eerie Domain itself—a force no one dared to cross! Stopping them was a thankless, suicidal endeavor. Besides, this was a dying Star Domain. When it finally crumbled, the Tian Yuan Star Palace would simply relocate.
A faint sigh escaped Mo Wenshan's lips as he muttered, "Not my circus, not my monkeys."
Just then, Guiming Emissary tapped his finger lightly on the table again. "Empty," he stated, gesturing towards his cup.
Damn it, this old bastard is insatiable! Mo Wenshan cursed internally, but plastered a strained smile on his face as he reluctantly refilled the cup.
"I hear the Ling Xu Pill Sect is hosting quite the alchemy grand assembly," Guiming Emissary remarked, feigning casual interest. "Open to the entire Primordial Star Domain, no less."
Old thief, Mo Wenshan thought, his teeth grinding. Outwardly, he maintained a respectful demeanor. "That's right, Emissary. They're trying to gather all the alchemy geniuses in the Primordial Star Domain. It's a grand affair, more important than any they've held before."
A subtle smirk played on Guiming Emissary's lips. Mo Wenshan immediately understood the unspoken implication: the old scoundrel was planning to demand his 'protection money' from the Ling Xu Pill Sect.
These Eerie Domain creatures were truly despicable. Not content with simply devouring star seas, they extorted heaven-defying treasures from major powers, threatening war if their demands weren't met. For years, the Tian Yuan Star Sea and Ling Xu Star Sea, despite their status as the Primordial Star Domain's mightiest forces, had been secretly bled dry of countless cultivation resources by the Guiming Emissary. Their greed knew no bounds. The Tian Yuan Star Palace might boast a grand reputation, but the pressure they endured was immense, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain appearances.
Still, this might be a blessing in disguise, Mo Wenshan mused. Guiming is clearly about to make some extortionate demands from the Ling Xu Pill Sect. If he focuses on them, it'll take some pressure off the Tian Yuan Star Palace for a while. It was a classic case of "every man for himself."
Guiming Emissary lingered, freeloading several more cups of spiritual tea before finally departing. Each sip was a dagger to Mo Wenshan's heart. Old glutton, he fumed internally, why don't you just choke on it and die!
With a resonant boom, Guiming Emissary dissolved into a swirling black mist, his Eerie Power radiating like a bottomless Abyss. His voice, carrying an ominous undertone, echoed through the hall. "The Tian Yuan Star Palace has always been... cooperative. But the Ling Xu Pill Sect? Those alchemists are a stubborn lot. It seems they're due for a harsh lesson this time."
Mo Wenshan offered a hollow chuckle. "Indeed, indeed," he agreed, his face a mask of deference. Inside, however, he was busy cursing Guiming Emissary's entire lineage, eighteen generations deep.
***
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Primordial Star Domain, nearly a dozen sinister black lights erupted from various frontier star seas. Each streak of darkness locked onto a single target: the Fallen Star Sea, where Lu Xuan resided.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Eerie Power surged, coalescing into terrifying black gales that ripped through the cosmos, rivaling even the destructive Starry Sky Gale.
A black-robed elder, his face a mask of sinister malice, piloted a ghastly cloud boat crafted from the bones of powerful human cultivators, now thoroughly corrupted by Eerie Power. He sneered, "The emissary assigned there, I recall he was called Guixuan? We met years ago. He assured me he'd already annihilated the strongest expert in that region."
A chilling scoff came from a cold-faced middle-aged man beside him. "Carelessness, no doubt. Those star seas may be weak, but even insignificant ants can cause trouble when they swarm."