Extreme Sword Heaven, Sword Sect's gates.
The core members of the Heaven-God Alliance had already dispersed, each leaving more cautiously than the previous one.
Ultimately, the only ones who decided to follow Zi Luo Elder and Rolensia to the World of Gods were Gu Nan, Xue Ren, and Daoist Lingyang.
The remaining four were either still hesitating or had made up their minds to remain in the Myriad Heavens Universe. At the very least, they couldn't leave so decisively.
Over the years, the four of them rarely participated in the affairs of the Heaven-God Alliance, so there was a low chance of their identities getting exposed. Hence, they believed they could try their luck by staying behind.
After all, not leaving meant merely the possibility of exposing their identities, while leaving would 100% expose their identities.
"They've all lived for tens of thousands of years. How come they're still so blind?" Daoist Lingyang chuckled slightly and shook his head. "As long as you're alive, no one can take away your astral world."
At this time, he was sitting with Xue Ren and Gu Nan on the top of Sword Mountain. They were enjoying the mountain breeze and drinking mountain wine made from the Sword Sect's clear spring.
"The destruction of one's astral world is akin to having ten thousand years of hard work go up in flames. How many people can be clearheaded in such a situation?" Xue Ren replied with a smile, then glanced at Gu Nan. "You really don't want a cup?"
While saying that, he even shook his wine glass at Gu Nan.
The name "mountain wine" was coined by Xue Ren himself, and it already became one of Sword Sect's specialties.
The clear spring on Sword Mountain naturally contained an overwhelming sword intent. When drinking wine made with this water, one can feel a strong rush even before it hits their throat.
Daoist Lingyang and Xue Ren were longtime friends who liked to come here to drink a bottle of mountain wine in their free time. This time, they also brought Gu Nan along.
Unfortunately, Gu Nan just waved his hand. In fact, he hadn't drunk alcohol for many years. After all, when players were playing a game, food and drink were merely there to satisfy one's appetite and nothing more.
Xue Ren didn't press when he saw Gu Nan's disinterest and laughed. "Gu Nan, it turns out you're the most carefree one. The construction of your astral world only took a few decades, so it wouldn't be a pity to lose it."
"That's true in theory." Gu Nan thought about it and said, "But if there's a chance it can be protected, then that would naturally be best."
For these Star Rulers, decades passed in the blink of an eye, but Gu Nan's entire gaming journey may not even add up to decades.
Speaking of ways to protect one's astral world from greater gods, Gu Nan actually did know feasible methods. There were items in this world capable of sealing an astral world, only those items were in the World of Gods.
In the end, Gu Nan was still most familiar with the World of Gods, but he didn't know if that item would still be effective in the Myriad Heavens Universe.
Daoist Lingyang nodded. "It will naturally be best if our astral worlds can remain undamaged. Zi Luo Elder's trip this time is precisely to protect our astral worlds."
"Oh?" Gu Nan raised his eyebrow. He seemed to understand something and laughed. "Then I look forward to seeing it."
...
Although Gu Nan said he looked forward to seeing it, he couldn't actually see it—because what transpired afterwards happened inside one of the Thirteen Heavens. Besides the parties involved, no one else witnessed it.
Song Fei was injured.
This news shocked the entire Myriad Heavens as soon as it came out.
Although many inferred from Rolensia's earlier ascension that a battle between Unified Dao existences was inevitable, it came way too quickly, and it was actually Song Fei who suffered injuries.
This was Song Fei! Even among the Thirteen Heavens, Academic Heaven was still one of the top ranked ones.
After confirming that the news came from the Thirteen Heavens and was most likely not fabricated, people's attention immediately shifted from Song Fei to another question.
Who injured Song Fei?
No news came out the day it happened, but by the next day, the entire matter's cause became clear to everyone, while they learned another piece of news.
The organization hidden behind both the Myriad Heavens Universe and the World of Gods—the Heaven-God Alliance—finally stepped into the limelight for the first time.
Song Fei was in Graceful Heaven, healing his disciple Fang Chaoyun, when he was injured by two people who suddenly descended from the sky.
One of them was none other than the recently-ascended Unified Dao figure, the Ruler of Luxuriant Blossoms Rolensia, while the other attacker's identity once again made countless people drop their glasses.
The one who struck was actually Zi Luo Elder!
This old man who slumbered for nearly 100,000 years actually participated in a fight between Unified Dao powerhouses as a mere Star Ruler!
And as the news continued to ferment, details of that battle were gradually revealed. Slowly, people discovered that Zi Luo Elder seemed to have played a rather significant role in the fight.
Admittedly, Song Fei did temporarily leave himself in a state of emptiness in order to help his disciple heal.
However, it was Zi Luo Elder who found the opportunity to take advantage of Song Fei's empty state, grasping Song Fei's weak spot every step of the way. Rolensia, on the other hand, only provided the power for the last blow.
In other words, Rolensia could be replaced with any other random Unified Dao cultivator, but Zi Luo Elder was irreplaceable in this sneak attack.
After this old man wounded Song Fei, he also left this sentence:
"I taught you everything you know. If you want to take revenge, bring Jiu Po and come find me."
...
"So it turns out Song Fei was also Zi Luo Elder's disciple. This is truly unexpected," Duan Wenqi sighed with emotion, a thoughtful look on his face.
He and Lu Wen never witnessed Zi Luo Heaven's original fall, but since they were still rather close in eras, they still knew something about the enmity between Zi Luo and Song Fei.
Everyone thought there wasn't much of a connection between Song Fei and Zi Luo Elder, and that it was purely because the latter got in Song Fei's path that he was schemed.
But as soon as this sentence came out, the label of "killing one's teacher" slammed onto Song Fei's head!
"It's a little strange." Lu Wen patted the Long Ling'er on his shoulder, instructing her to fly around on her own. "Zi Luo Elder doesn't seem like the type of person to say such things."
"You feel like he's being a little too arrogant?" But Duan Wenqi just laughed. "He clearly wants to protect the astral worlds of Xue Ren, Gu Nan, and the others, and have those words serve as a deterrent against anyone who might have ideas… I'm afraid these people will go far away very soon."
Lu Wen's eyes lit up and he suddenly said, "So that's how it is… People have referred to me as one of the Thirteen Heavens for so long that I even developed tunnel vision."
Those personally involved in the situation might not see as clearly as an outsider. Earlier, it was Lu Wen who helped Duan Wenqi see the big picture, but now that the matter involved Unified Dao cultivators and Lu Wen himself was included in the situation, Duan Wenqi was actually able to see more clearly.
"Right now, the known members of the Heaven-God Alliance are Zi Luo, Rolensia, Xue Ren, and Gu Nan. One Unified Dao powerhouse, two top-tier major Star Rulers, and a little monster who was able to injure Fang Chaoyun in his own astral world."
Duan Wenqi continued, "Now that Zi Luo put on such a show, even if Rolensia leaves, the Heaven-God Alliance will still have a fearsome reputation to act as deterrent."
Lu Wen nodded lightly, his fingers tapping continuously on the desk.
"If they really leave, then it'll be our chance." A smile appeared on Lu Wen's face, and he gently placed down a chess piece on top of another piece.
The lower chess piece instantly shattered, and its position was replaced by the one in his hand.
"Lou Wanying may be dead, but others are still alive. And there are people… who don't fear the Heaven-God Alliance."
"They're going to look for Gu Nan's trouble?" Duan Wenqi's eyes lit up and he asked at once.
"No." When Lu Wen withdrew his hand, that piece suddenly had an extra strand of sword intent on it. "It's Xue Ren."