"The Celestial Venerable… has returned."
Lu Xichan and the assembled formation masters froze, the words sending a wave of icy terror through them. They bowed their heads, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
This was the overwhelming presence of Legacy Transmission, the Eternal Celestial Venerable, the architect of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, the being who had held absolute power over the Xuanhuang World for millennia.
As if echoing Ren's words, the Sacred Emperor's talismans, affixed to the massive Legacy Transmission statues in every Celestial City, began to flutter, their edges curling as if about to be torn away.
The statues themselves trembled, their stone forms vibrating with a nascent energy.
Purple-gold starlight radiating from the talismans clashed with the white light emanating from the statues, a silent battle of wills, a struggle for dominance.
The sky above the Xuanhuang World churned, dark clouds gathering, the wind howling.
The Sacred Emperor, still immersed in his sermon, paused, glancing towards the heavens, as if sensing the shift in the world's energy.
He continued, his voice unwavering, though his pace quickened slightly.
Some of the Alliance cultivators, sensing the change, paled, their faces slick with cold sweat. They could no longer focus on the Sacred Emperor's words, their minds consumed by a primal dread.
Others, their eyes gleaming with a desperate hope, clung to his every word, praying for Legacy Transmission's return to be delayed, even for a moment.
"The Dao is ever-changing, adapting to the flow of time."
"Legacy Transmission's methods… they are no longer in harmony with the Xuanhuang World."
"I have found a new path… a path to true change…"
He finished his sermon, his gaze shifting from the masses below to a distant figure in the starry expanse beyond the Xuanhuang World. He nodded almost imperceptibly, then vanished.
With the Sacred Emperor gone, his protection withdrawn, chaos descended upon the Xuanhuang World.
Dark clouds, thick and ominous, swallowed the luminous disc of the Great Qi Sacred Dynasty, obscuring its light.
Birds and beasts, drawn out by the Sacred Emperor's teachings, scattered, fleeing back to their nests, seeking shelter from the sudden storm.
Even the plants and trees withered and broke under the onslaught of the howling wind.
Lightning flashed, thunder boomed, and torrential rain lashed down, transforming the world into a scene of apocalyptic devastation.
Though Legacy Transmission hadn't arrived yet, his shadow fell upon the world, his power felt in every gust of wind, every clap of thunder, every drop of rain.
The Alliance cultivators who had been momentarily swayed by the Sacred Emperor's words were jolted back to reality, their hopes dashed, their earlier excitement replaced by a cold, stark terror.
"What was I thinking?" they muttered, their faces pale with fear. "That's Legacy Transmission! The Eternal Celestial Venerable! The being who has ruled this world for millennia! How could I possibly have believed… these invaders… could win?"
"The Sacred Emperor… he's powerful, yes, but he's no match for Legacy Transmission. I need to forget this New Law. Erase it from my mind."
"Celestial Venerable, forgive my momentary lapse in judgment…"
"Legacy Transmission will restore order. He will save us!"
Their renewed faith in Legacy Transmission solidified, their earlier doubts erased by the raw, overwhelming power that now raged across their world.
Even the Sacred Dynasty's troops, despite their superior technology, despite their unwavering faith in their Emperor, felt a tremor of fear. The difference in cultivation levels was vast, a seemingly insurmountable chasm.
But then, they remembered the Sacred Emperor's words, his promise of victory.
"Victory for the Sacred Dynasty!" a single voice cried out, echoing across the battlefield. "Victory for the Sacred Emperor!"
Others joined in, their voices rising in a chorus of defiance that swelled, growing stronger with each voice, washing away their fear, replacing it with a fervent belief in their emperor, in their cause.
And as if answering their call, the luminous disc, the Great Qi Sacred Dynasty, pulsed with a brilliant purple-gold light, pushing back the encroaching darkness, emerging from behind the storm clouds.
The wind and rain, the chaos that had gripped the Xuanhuang World, seemed to… hesitate.
Ren, of the Legacy Transmission lineage, hearing the distant cries of defiance, sneered. "A pathetic last stand."
As if summoned by his words, portals shimmered into existence across the four central regions, the Alliance's hidden reserves unleashed.
Massive fleets of warships emerged, filling the sky, their numbers overwhelming.
At the helm of each vessel stood a member of the Legacy Transmission lineage.
They bowed towards the heavens, towards the distant figure of Legacy Transmission himself, their respect and devotion absolute.
Lu Xichan, observing this breathtaking display of power, felt a chill run down her spine. "Those are the forces from their personal worlds. Now that the Celestial Venerable has returned, they no longer need to hide."
"Judging by the auras emanating from those vessels… many of them are Dao Integration experts."
"The Alliance's true strength… it's far greater than I imagined."
"Still struggling with that pathetic little formation?" A mocking voice echoed from above, interrupting her thoughts. "You've had the Dissociation Disc, and nineteen secondary manifestations of the Heavenly Profound Mirror, and you still haven't broken through? Truly pathetic."
"The Formation Masters of this era… you're a disgrace to your predecessors. If Lu Xia were still alive, she'd be ashamed."
Lu Xichan bristled at the insult, the casual dismissal of her efforts, especially since it had mentioned her master. But she recognized the voice - Dou, one of the more… unpleasant members of the Legacy Transmission lineage. She swallowed her anger, bowing her head. "This subordinate is incompetent."
"Step aside." Dou's tone was dismissive.
A group of children, their faces expressionless, floated down from one of the warships.
They bowed curtly towards the Mirror Master, receiving the data gathered by the Dissociation Discs, then set to work.
There were thirty-six of them.
Their faces were blank, their eyes devoid of emotion, their movements precise, almost mechanical.
One of them reached out, touching a beam of light from the Luminous Starry Sky Grand Formation.
Their form flickered, turning translucent, their body merging with the starlight.
Just as they were about to be completely absorbed, they vanished, reappearing beside another child, who repeated the process.
They took turns, each one pushing the boundaries, testing the limits of the formation, their bodies merging with its energy, then retreating before being fully consumed.
Finally, the thirty-sixth child, shimmering, on the verge of dissolving, trembled. The other thirty-five children reappeared, their forms solidifying.
They huddled together, their voices a low, indistinct murmur as they shared their findings.
They nodded, then split into two groups. One began dismantling the formation; the other repeated the process of merging with its energy.
The Alliance formation masters, observing their work, were awestruck.
At this rate, the formation wouldn't last half a day.
Lu Xichan's astonishment was even greater.
As she watched the thirty-six children, a phrase echoed in her mind. Spirit Array Saint Physique.
An incredibly rare and powerful physique, said to be formed from the very essence of formations themselves. Those with this physique possessed an innate affinity for formations, their bodies acting as conduits, amplifying their power, transforming even mundane formations into something… extraordinary.
Like spirit vessels within artifacts, they could become living embodiments of formations.
A Spirit Array Saint Physique was said to appear only once in a century.
Her master, Lu Xia, had desperately searched for such an individual, a worthy successor to inherit her mantle. She had died before fulfilling her wish, passing her knowledge to Lu Xichan instead.
And now… thirty-six of them, appearing at once!
Lu Xichan glanced at the figures standing on the warships above, a cold dread creeping into her heart.
"What other secrets… what other weapons… are they hiding?"
Ren, receiving the updated report on the formation's progress, his eyes flashed with a murderous intent.
The Alliance had been humiliated. The Celestial Venerable's wrath would be swift and merciless.
He would make these invaders pay.
He gestured, and the cultivators who had been preparing their attack, interrupted by the Sacred Emperor's sermon, resumed their work.
Cultivators in green robes, wielding whisks and talismans, descended from the warships.
With practiced movements, they began shaping the accumulated energy, molding the sphere of raw power into monstrous, divine figures, their forms radiating power, their expressions ferocious.
The power emanating from these energy constructs was terrifying. Even Lu Xichan, a Dao Integration expert, felt a shiver of fear.
The Alliance's counterattack was ready.
Outside the Luminous Starry Sky Grand Formation, the Sacred Dynasty's troops prepared for the inevitable clash.
Sun Erlang, connected to the Sacred Emperor's Star Sea Network, issued his orders, his voice calm and steady.
"Those below Nascent Soul, hold your positions. Continue working on the defensive formations. Remember, completing those formations on schedule is a significant contribution."
"Nascent Soul and above, prepare for redeployment."
The brighter stars within his simulated Star Sea shifted, their formations changing as he reorganized his troops.
"Do not engage them directly. Extend the battlefield. Harass them. Disrupt their supply lines. Wear them down."
"We don't need to attack their headquarters. We just need to… wait. Wait for the Sacred Emperor's return, his victory in the Star Sea." His voice was filled with an unshakeable conviction.
His troops roared their approval.
Once their morale was solidified, he fine-tuned his deployments, his attention focused on the events unfolding within the Luminous Starry Sky Grand Formation.
Then, dividing his consciousness, he connected to the dark gold Sacred Punishment Puppet, his most powerful weapon.
"It's time to… stretch my legs," he murmured, a predatory glint in his eyes.
Three hours later…
The Luminous Starry Sky Grand Formation, which had held the Alliance's four central regions captive for seven days, finally cracked, a small breach appearing in its defenses.
The pent-up fury of the Alliance cultivators erupted, a torrent of energy pouring through the opening.
Solid constructs of solidified techniques, spectral figures of enraged deities, a blinding array of artifacts…
All unleashed at once, a wave of destructive energy powerful enough to obliterate entire regions.
But waiting for them…
…was a simple, unassuming black doorway.
As the doorway opened, it consumed the Alliance's attack, its power seemingly limitless, its hunger insatiable.
Like a monstrous abyss, its maw opened wide, swallowing everything in its path, leaving nothing behind.
Not even a ripple of energy remained.
Then, as silently as it had appeared, the doorway vanished.
The Alliance cultivators stared, dumbfounded.
"The Sea of Gloom?" Ren's face paled. He recognized the aura, the lingering echoes of that… place.
As he had feared, the massive attack, the combined might of countless cultivators, had barely disturbed the Sea of Gloom. It had simply… vanished, a drop in an endless ocean, causing nothing more than a fleeting ripple.
"So, the recent disturbances in the Sea of Gloom… they were caused by these invaders as well."
His rage intensified. New grudges were added to old wounds.
The thirty-six children continued their work, determined to dismantle the formation completely.
The other cultivators, eager to join the fight, poured through the breach, spreading out across the four regions, their mission to crush these invaders.
Their initial enthusiasm, however, was quickly extinguished.
The first region they entered… it was deserted.
Empty.
The invaders were gone. Even the Celestial City was abandoned, stripped bare.
"They… escaped?" Ren frowned, his confusion growing.
As the Alliance cultivators searched, their frustration mounting, lights flickered across the region, pinpricks of silver, then…
… they were moving, streaking towards them, their speed incredible, far faster than anything they had witnessed before.
"What are those?"
"Sky-Surveying Arrows!" Several of the Legacy Transmission cultivators recognized the incoming projectiles, their faces paling.
Then…
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
A series of earth-shattering explosions rocked the region.
…
Meanwhile, in the vast emptiness beyond the Xuanhuang World, within the desolate expanse of the Dark Star Sea, the figure hurrying back towards the Xuanhuang World was met with a similar greeting.
But these weren't Sky-Surveying Arrows.
These were fragments of True Immortal power, remnants of the Tribulation's destructive energy, manipulated, redirected, their power amplified.
The Sacred Emperor, Li Ping, wasn't interested in a fair fight.
He wanted victory. By any means necessary.
Taking advantage of the chaotic energies swirling within the Star Sea, he had used the resurgent power of the world to manipulate the fragments of True Immortal power, shifting their positions, creating… traps.
Legacy Transmission had traveled this path countless times.
It was familiar. Safe. Predictable.
He hadn't anticipated an ambush.
The figure, battered by the unexpected assault, flickered, its form unstable, distorting under the pressure of the True Immortal energy.
It stumbled, its usually majestic aura faltering.
The Sacred Emperor observed him from afar, recognizing the familiar form, the same as the towering statues erected throughout the Xuanhuang World.
The tall crown, the long beard.
Legacy Transmission, the Eternal Celestial Venerable.
But this figure, despite the relentless assault, his expression remained impassive, unchanged, like the statues that represented him.
The Sacred Emperor didn't wait for him to recover.
Behind him, a phantom image of the Sacred Dynasty materialized, swirling starlight converging upon him, its power immense.
"Destiny favors me…"
"The true Dao is with me…"
"The future is mine!"
The accumulated fortune of the Sacred Dynasty, the hopes and prayers of his people, the unwavering devotion of the Nether Race, surged into him, their combined power a force of nature.
A wind, a cosmic wind, swept through the Dark Star Sea, its power pushing back the darkness, revealing the faint glimmer of distant stars.
He stood at the center of it all, the focal point of this vast and desolate realm, the stars themselves seemingly orbiting him.
Within the Xuanhuang World, every living being felt it, a shift in the world's energy, a surge of power.
They looked towards the sky, their gazes drawn beyond the dark clouds, to the brilliant silver light that pierced the darkness.
And within that swirling vortex of starlight, they saw him.
The Sacred Emperor, his form radiating power and majesty, his starlight robe shimmering, dancing with the celestial bodies.
"The Dao… destroyed…"
"The Dao… reborn!"
His voice, calm yet powerful, echoed through the void as his form vanished within the swirling starlight.
The silver light exploded outwards, a celestial river cascading from the heavens, plunging towards Legacy Transmission, who was still struggling to regain his footing.
A flicker of… something… crossed Legacy Transmission's usually impassive face.
He saw visions of the ancient past, of the Star Sea teeming with life, a golden age of cultivation.
Then he saw the decline, the first signs of decay, the subtle distortions in the world's energy.
He saw the collapse of the immortal path, the arrival of the Tribulations, silent and inevitable, consuming world after world, their prosperity turning to ash.
The light from the Sacred Emperor's attack washed over him, and he saw the vibrant Star Sea of his memories dimming, its light fading.
The starlight pierced his eyes, his body, his very soul.
His crown and robes began to crumble, his hair and beard turning to dust, his form, once tall and imposing, shrinking, becoming hunched and frail.
The remnants of True Immortal energy that clung to him, the source of his power, began to unravel, their connection weakening.
He was vulnerable.
"Impressive," he coughed, his voice weak, raspy, unlike the benevolent tone familiar to the inhabitants of the Xuanhuang World. "The Dao… destroyed… and reborn…"
He sounded… mortal.
The Sacred Emperor didn't reply.
He didn't even reveal his form.
The attack, a river of starlight, its power seemingly endless, continued its relentless assault.
But this wasn't the end.
This was only… the destruction.
The rebirth… was yet to come.
Black hair sprouted from Legacy Transmission's head, growing rapidly, defying the howling wind.
His body twisted and contorted, lumps of flesh and bone erupting from beneath his skin.
His heart pounded, its rhythm echoing the chaotic energy of the revitalized Star Sea, each beat sending chunks of flesh and blood flying.
The new Dao had been born. The old ways… they had to be purged.
Legacy Transmission, a relic of a bygone era, an anomaly within the revitalized Star Sea, was being consumed.
His heart beat faster, his body, already broken and distorted, dissolving, his bones turning to dust.
He was a shattered puzzle, its pieces scattered by a cosmic explosion.
His newly grown hair, after swirling around him, wrapped itself around his neck, tightening, constricting, like a noose, like a blade.
His heart gave a final, shuddering beat, and his chest exploded, not in a spray of blood and gore, but in a silent, absolute nothingness.
Not even energy remained. He was being… unmade.
The nothingness spread, consuming his body, its tendrils reaching for his head.
The wind howled, its voice a celebratory roar.
And then…
Just as the nothingness was about to consume his head, his mind, his very essence…
Legacy Transmission, the enigmatic being who had ruled the Xuanhuang World for millennia, whose origins were shrouded in mystery…
…his eyes flickered, a spark of light igniting within their depths.
Though half his head was already gone, consumed by the void, his voice, weak yet resolute, echoed through the Star Sea.
He spoke the same words as the Sacred Emperor.
"The Dao… destroyed…"
As he uttered these words, the Star Sea seemed to… pause. The wind subsided, the light dimmed, the darkness returning.
His rapidly growing hair withered and fell away, the encroaching nothingness halting its advance.
The destructive forces that had been tearing him apart… they vanished.
An invisible barrier, a shield of pure will, surrounded him, protecting him from further harm.
The wind howled, the starlight blazed…
…but he remained untouched.
Even with only half a head remaining.
"The Dao… reborn," he whispered, his voice regaining its strength.
His hair regrew, his flesh and bone reforming, his crown and robes reappearing, as if woven from the very fabric of reality.
In the blink of an eye, Legacy Transmission, moments ago on the verge of annihilation, was restored, his form whole, his power undiminished.
A terrifying display of power.
"So close," the Sacred Emperor's voice, filled with a mock disappointment, echoed through the void.
A streak of starlight, and Li Ping reappeared, his form radiating power and majesty.
He studied Legacy Transmission, the regret in his eyes replaced by a burning intensity, an unwavering resolve.
Legacy Transmission didn't immediately retaliate. He observed his attacker, the one who had so brazenly attempted to destroy him, a flicker of… amusement in his eyes.
"Interesting," he murmured, as if to himself. "When did another Supreme Being emerge in this desolate Star Sea?"
His tone was a mix of surprise and… a hint of melancholy.
"Supreme…" The Sacred Emperor savored the word, then shook his head. "A title undeserved. I am merely… at the current limit of this Star Sea."
"Not the true limit."
"True supremacy… that is beyond my reach."
Legacy Transmission didn't argue.
He turned his gaze towards the distant center of the Star Sea. "Have you ever considered… the rising tide lifts all boats?"
"My supremacy… and yours…"
"…They are… different."
His words were simple, devoid of boastfulness. Merely a statement of fact.
The Sacred Emperor pondered his words, understanding dawning.
Legacy Transmission's current power, his displayed strength, was limited by the Star Sea itself. But his true power, his potential… it was far greater.
He was simply… constrained.
Once the Star Sea's limits were removed, his power would surge, growing exponentially.
While he, the Sacred Emperor, though also currently at the Star Sea's limit, relied on external factors – the fortune of his dynasty, the favor of the Star Sea itself.
Once the Star Sea's true potential was unleashed, he would need time to adapt, to grow, to catch up.
That… was the difference between them.
"He is, after all, Legacy Transmission, the Eternal Celestial Venerable." The Sacred Emperor wasn't surprised.
And he wasn't afraid.
Even with his attack neutralized, even with the disparity in their true potential…
…he had just begun to fight.
He reached out, sensing a shift in the Star Sea's energy.
Not the revitalizing energy of its resurgence…
…but a chaotic wind, a storm brewing from the clash between the world's essence and the lingering remnants of the Tribulation's destructive power.
Legacy Transmission sensed his intent.
"Your technique… the Dao Destroyed, the Dao Reborn… it was impressive."
"It has given me… inspiration."
"Allow me to… reciprocate."
This time, Legacy Transmission was the aggressor.
"This technique… it's called…"
"…Everything Within My Palm."
A wave of unease washed over Li Ping as he heard those words.
The world around him shifted, his perspective changing rapidly.
His body shrank, becoming smaller, smaller.
And the world around him expanded, growing larger, larger.
Legacy Transmission, moments ago smaller than his ten-foot tall form, grew, his size increasing exponentially.
By the time Li Ping realized what was happening, Legacy Transmission had become as large as the towering statues that represented him within the Xuanhuang World, his form filling the sky.
And it wasn't just a change in size.
Li Ping felt his connection to the Sacred Dynasty, to the Xuanhuang World, to the Star Sea itself… weakening.
He knew, instinctively, that if this continued, his connection would be severed completely.
And he would be trapped, lost forever within this… miniature world.
As his mind raced, searching for a countermeasure, Legacy Transmission's attack descended.
The world shrank further, Legacy Transmission's form disappearing from view, replaced by a single, massive hand, descending from the heavens, its size incomprehensible, its power overwhelming.
The space around him solidified, trapping him, preventing him from escaping.
Even the lines on Legacy Transmission's palm were now massive, like mountain ranges, stretching as far as the eye could see.
But Li Ping, facing this seemingly insurmountable attack, this world-ending power, showed no fear.
"The Xuanhuang World…" he said, his voice calm, steady.
"…It is not yours to control."
A cold fire ignited in his eyes.
"I will show you… the true power of the Xuanhuang World."
"Become…"
"…the Heavens of Xuanhuang!"
His form vanished beneath Legacy Transmission's massive hand.
And then…
…a brilliant golden light erupted from beneath it.
Within the Xuanhuang World, the ground trembled violently, the dark clouds in the sky scattering as if dispelled by an unseen force.
Sharp-eyed cultivators noticed something… strange. Lines in the sky… they were… missing.
A grinding sound, like a collapsing pillar, echoed through the heavens.
And the sky above the Xuanhuang World… it seemed to… fall.
(End of Chapter)