Immortal Realm

Gu Changge took one step forward, and in the next instant, he appeared at the edge of the Xuanhuang Great World’s barrier.

Before him stood the World Barrier.

The terrifying rift that had once been torn open and drained of its origin had vanished without a trace. In its place was a complete, massive barrier flowing with chaotic radiance, brimming with tenacious and surging vitality.

Upon the barrier, profound Great Dao runes faintly appeared and vanished of their own accord in an endless cycle, making it incomparably stable.

“An intact origin. The effect is acceptable.”

Gu Changge nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction flashing through his eyes.

He could sense that the origin of the Xuanhuang Great World had now reached a level comparable to its most prosperous and glorious era, as recorded in ancient texts. Having been shattered and then rebuilt, it even possessed an added resilience—a new vitality born from nirvana.

An origin of this scale was more than enough to support an incomparably glorious Golden Age.

And as the origin integrated into the Xuanhuang Great World continued to slowly merge and unfold, the future would only become even grander and more prosperous.

His gaze did not linger long on the restored barrier. Instead, it pierced through the sturdy obstruction and looked toward the boundless, cold, and desolate chaos beyond the world.

The outside remained just as it had been.

“I wonder when you so-called immortals will come again. I’m rather looking forward to it…”

The Immortal Realm.

A fragment of a shattered continent floated through the endless void, its edges constantly crumbling and disintegrating.

Although the spiritual energy here was still vast compared to that of the lower realms, it carried a restless, insubstantial quality.

Despite being only a fragment of a continent, it was several times larger than the Xuanhuang Great World.

The Chengyun Immortal Palace was the ruler of this continental fragment.

At the highest peak of the fragmented continent stood an immortal palace forged from immortal metals and divine jade.

Inside the palace, several figures were shrouded in faint immortal light. Their auras were powerful, but their brows were tightly furrowed, and the atmosphere was heavy.

Seated at the head of the hall, Chengyun Immortal Lord slowly spoke, his voice echoing throughout the palace.

“The Xuanhuang, Tianxi, and Lihuo lower-realm nodes were due to deliver their origin several days ago. Why has there been no movement? The Heaven-Patrolling Immortal Envoy has not sent back any word either.”

At that moment, an old man in black robes with a sinister expression let out a cold snort.

“What else could it be? That Heaven-Patrolling Immortal Envoy must have developed ulterior motives! He embezzled the origin that was supposed to be delivered on schedule and refined it in secret!”

Beside him, a more composed figure dressed in azure robes shook his head in rebuttal.

“Brother Zhao, that conclusion is too hasty. How could the loss of contact with all three nodes be explained merely by embezzlement?

“It is more likely that they encountered some trouble. Perhaps an unforeseen change occurred in the lower realm, temporarily cutting off the delivery of the origin.”

“Trouble? You’re giving those lower-realm ants far too much credit! Their strongest experts are nothing more than Great Emperors and Supremes. Before the true immortal path, they are utterly insignificant!

“The Heaven-Patrolling Immortal Envoy is a True Immortal. Suppressing a lower realm would be as easy as turning over his hand. What trouble could possibly arise? Are you saying those mortals could actually defeat a True Immortal despite the difference in realms?”

The azure-robed immortal fell silent for a moment before looking toward Chengyun Immortal Venerable at the head of the hall.

“Venerable Lord, although most of the lower realm’s lifeforms are indeed ants, that does not mean there can be no variables.

“Do you still remember those fugitives who escaped from the Xuanhuang Great World tens of thousands of years ago?”

The moment these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent.

Several True Immortals revealed unnatural expressions.

That incident was not a glorious memory. Several quasi-immortals from the lower realm, who had already touched the threshold of the immortal path, had actually torn open a narrow gap under the grand formation they had set up and the surveillance of the immortal envoy.

They had escaped into the boundless chaos, and no one knew where they had gone. Although they firmly believed that those remnants could not have survived in the chaos, they nevertheless remained a hidden threat.

The red-faced True Immortal’s tone softened somewhat, but he still refused to believe it.

“That was tens of thousands of years ago! Even if those remnants were lucky enough to survive, they should have long since been reduced to ashes in the chaotic currents. Besides, if they truly had the ability to return and seek revenge, why would they have waited until now?”

Chengyun Immortal Venerable had listened with his eyes closed the entire time. Now, he slowly opened them, and in his pupils, stars seemed to rise and perish.

“There is no need to argue further.”

His voice was calm, yet carried an unquestionable resolve.

“Whether it was internal embezzlement, an enemy disturbance, or a problem with the grand formation itself, we must investigate it immediately.”

His gaze swept across everyone below.

“Although the lower realms are merely mortal domains, the universe is full of mysteries. There may well be variables unknown to us.

“Now that the replenishment of the origin of my Chengyun Immortal Domain fragment is becoming increasingly difficult, the origins of these three lower realms may not be of the highest grade, but they are still vital to the stability of the continent. Nothing can be allowed to happen to them.”

He paused briefly before issuing a direct order.

“Zhao Gang. Sun Yan.”

“Here!”

“I order the two of you to set out immediately and investigate the lower realms. Both of you possess cultivation at the ninth heaven of the True Immortal realm. You are more than capable of suppressing any variable in a lower realm.”

“We respectfully accept the decree!”

Zhao Gang and Sun Yan cupped their hands and accepted the order, cold light flickering in their eyes.

To them, this was not merely a mission. It was also an opportunity to replenish their strength and establish their authority.

“Remember,” Chengyun Immortal Venerable instructed them one last time, his voice turning cold.

“If you encounter resistance, kill without exception, regardless of who the opponent is. You must uncover the truth and restore the delivery of the origin.

“If there are any clues concerning the remnants from that year, capture or eliminate them as a priority.”

“Yes!”

Two powerful beams of immortal light shot into the sky, piercing through the dome of the Chengyun Immortal Palace before vanishing into the ferocious spatial rift in the heavens. They sped toward the coordinates of the lower realms.

Chengyun Immortal Venerable slowly closed his eyes again, but his fingers lightly tapped against the armrest of his seat.

This shattered immortal domain could no longer withstand any major upheaval.

That world known as Xuanhuang, which had once allowed fugitives to escape, always left him with an ominous feeling.

On Purple Bamboo Peak, Gu Changge quietly watched the sea of clouds, while the Xuanhuang Great World below had completely transformed into a boiling furnace.

With the Golden Age descending, prodigies emerged like bamboo shoots after the spring rain.

Yet the most eye-catching developments were undoubtedly the two disturbances in the Central Region.

First, the Crown Prince of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Ji Xuanye, had taken advantage of the tide of reviving spiritual energy to break through and enter the Saint Realm.

After the dynasty’s fortune gathered around him and his breakthrough was announced to the world, he led his attendants on a tour of the Central Region, intending to establish his prestige and make a name for himself.

He had not expected that, while passing through the Chu lands of the Central Region, he would encounter a black-clad young man blocking his path.

“Who are you? How dare you obstruct the carriage of this prince?”

Standing atop the imperial carriage, Ji Xuanye released the pressure of the Saint Realm, forcing the surrounding cultivators to retreat one after another.

The black-clad young man, Chu Daolin, wore an indifferent expression. His aura was likewise at the complete Saint Realm, but it was even more condensed and overbearing.

“The Crown Prince of Great Zhou? When your Great Zhou oppressed my Chu Clan, did you ever imagine this day would come?”

His words immediately caused a tremendous uproar.

Tens of thousands of years ago, the Chu Clan had been one of the Central Region’s foremost families. However, after a fierce conflict with the Great Zhou Dynasty over a mysterious woman, they were ultimately defeated by the dynasty and withdrew from the world as a clan. The woman’s whereabouts had also remained unknown.

Now that Chu Daolin had emerged, it was clear that he had come to settle an old grudge.

There was no need for further words. The two instantly clashed.

The pressure of the Saint Realm collided, distorting and shattering the void. The cultivation technique Chu Daolin practiced was tyrannical beyond compare.

After more than a hundred exchanges, Chu Daolin sent Ji Xuanye flying with a single punch. Blood poured from Ji Xuanye’s mouth, and even the foundation of his Saint Realm cultivation cracked.

With that, Chu Daolin forcefully declared the Chu Clan’s return.