C1521 New Seats

Zhu Zhen's divine seat had just fractured.

At the Profound Sky Sect.

Cao Jiaze stood suspended in the sky, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing toward the Devil Palace on the Quietus Continent.

The two exquisite, multicolored pagodas deep within his eyes seemed to be infused into his being, allowing him to discern the general state of the Devil Palace from the Profound Sky Sect's heavens.

A shadow, barely more substantial than a wisp of smoke, materialized suddenly beside him.

It was a woman...

She rested her elbow lightly on the balustrade, her voice as melodious as a mountain stream, "The Sect Master wants you to reach out to the Babel Chamber of Commerce and deliver a message to President Lyi."

"Patriarch Ji, you've returned as well?"

Cao Jiaze's smile was warm, and without asking further, he bowed respectfully.

Before him was the ethereal presence of Ji Tianyu's Yin God.

Ji Tianyu, the second Primordial Spirit of the Profound Sky Sect after Han Miaoyuan.

She did not turn to face Cao Jiaze, seemingly still fixated on the direction of the Devil Palace. "I was able to let my guard down once Youyu sought out Zhu Zhen, so I returned."

At her words, Cao Jiaze felt a slight tremor in his spirit. "Patriarch Ji, what are you implying?"

"I had assumed Youyu would target me first."

Ji Tianyu, manifesting as a Yin God, was so ethereal and insubstantial that even her facial features were indistinct, yet her voice carried an unmistakable sense of relief.

"Because I am weaker than Zhu Zhenxiao, a bit easier to confront."

Her tone was tinged with a hint of despondency.

"Youyu has a motive for wanting Zhu Zhen dead, but what about you?" Cao Jiaze was perplexed.

"Little Ze, you're not aware of our longstanding feud with the Ghost Wizard Sect. To put it simply, when the Ghost Wizard Sect fell, our Profound Sky Sect gained the lion's share. Our Sect Master ascended to the Primordial Spirit because of it. The Heaven Palace Seals you wield were actually crafted from the 'Underground Palace' of the Ghost Wizard Sect, dating back to ancient times."

"Underground palace?" Cao Jiaze expressed his astonishment.

"Yes, the Ghost Wizard Sect's edifice was situated in the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea, constructed with a plethora of rare spiritual materials from antiquity. After the demise of Youyu and Xuanli, we acquired the underground palace, and through successive refinements, transformed it into the Heaven Palace Seals."

"Our Profound Sky Sect now boasts numerous Heaven Palaces, and the pavilions beneath us might well be considered replicas."

Given the circumstances, with Youyu's dramatic emergence and full awakening, there's no longer any need for secrecy.

Ji Tianyu recognized that Cao Jiaze was intelligent and well-born, so she saw no reason to continue concealing the truth.

"However, our constructed Heaven Palaces, while modeled after the underground palaces, are even more wondrous than the original ones of the Ghost Wizard Sect," Ji Tianyu said, her voice hinting at a smile.

She gave Cao Jiaze a moment to process the information before dropping a bombshell.

"The very ancestor of your Cao Family whom you admire—Cao Yi—is none other than another leader of the Ghost Wizard Sect. Renowned alongside Youyu, he goes by the name Xuanli."

"I myself only learned of this from the Sect Master very recently."

As a fellow practitioner at the Primordial Spirit Stage, Ji Tianyu couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear when discussing these matters.

The Sect Master was terrifyingly formidable.

He had nurtured Xuanli for years, quietly observing as Xuanli consumed Ann Jieshan and granted him complete freedom in the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area, allowing him to thrive or perish like wild grass.

It wasn't until he was en route to the Blood God Cult, with Yu Yuan's assistance, that the Sect Master finally made contact.

Wasn't he concerned about nurturing a threat? Did he not fear that an awakened Xuanli might turn against the sect?

Ji Tianyu couldn't help but smile wryly at the thought.

"Xuanli is Cao Yi?"

Cao Jiaze, esteemed as the strongest in his realm with the most solid foundation, shuddered at the revelation from Ji Tianyu, visibly shaken by the news.

"If the Sect Master says it's so, then it must be," Ji Tianyu affirmed.

The more she pondered, the more enigmatic Han Miaoyuan appeared to her, utterly inscrutable. "The Sect Master has already coordinated with the Primordial Yang Sect and the Sword Sect. They've been instructed to intercept outside the vast expanse, ensuring Cao Yi cannot return at this time. Furthermore, Cao Yi has been expelled from the Profound Sky Sect and is now considered a traitor."

Cao Jiaze stood there, stunned.

It took him a moment to collect himself before he asked, "Sect Master, what message should I convey to the Chamber of Commerce?"

"It's quite straightforward. Inform President Lyi that Cao Yi is none other than Xuanli, who may already be on his way back," Ji Tianyu said, her voice detached. "As for us, we've initiated an interception beyond the Great Expanse. He'll know what actions to take."

"Understood."

...

Suspended in midair was a massive space teleportation array.

Following a subtle ripple in the space, a petite woman with a round face materialized out of thin air.

Despite her age, she retained a girlish naivety, and while her features were merely pretty, her eyes brimmed with a perpetual smile, as if she was always hopeful about the future.

"President Shi."

"President Shi."

Fong Zhong, Zhou You, Jun Chen, and the others greeted her warmly with smiles.

They were the few who had truly met the leader of the Babel Chamber of Commerce, the unassuming woman who had been quietly running the organization since President Lyi's mysterious disappearance.

"Jing'er, what brings you here so unexpectedly?" President Lyi asked with a warm, affectionate smile. "You're not in the best of health. Didn't I advise you to avoid making public appearances as much as possible?"

"Cao Jiaze reached out to me," Shi Jing'er explained softly. "He revealed that the early genius of the Profound Sky Sect, Cao Yi, is the Ghost Wizard Sect's Xuanli. Furthermore, since Youyu has made a move against Zhu Zhen, it's likely he's found Xuanli, who may now be on his return journey."

"Cao Yi!"

"Xuanli!"

Individuals like Lvliu and Zhongli were visibly shaken by the news, yet upon reflection, it all seemed to make sense.

"Sect Master Han clearly does not want Xuanli to succeed in his divine return. After all, the divine position he currently holds was once Xuanli's. He has already coordinated with the Primordial Yang Sect and the Sword Sect to intercept Cao Yi outside of our realm. He's aware that we control two pathways and arrays that lead directly to the outside world."

As Shi Jing'er spoke, she turned her gaze towards Yan Qiling.

Yan Qiling nodded. "I'll consult with Lord Tianqi on this matter."

No sooner had he spoken than he ripped open a spatial channel from the Babel Chamber of Commerce on Quietus Continent and in an instant, he was at the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area. He lingered only briefly before swiftly returning.

The rift in space he had created showed no signs of closing yet.

"Lord Tianqi is already sealing the passage linked to the Delude Devil Abyss. Ruins Divine King has also sought the Desolate God's assistance, who has agreed to temporarily restrict access to the nest left by the Luan Bird Queen," Yan Qiling reported earnestly.

"Much appreciated," Shi Jing'er said with a smile.

"It's only right," Yan Qiling responded promptly.

Beyond the vast expanse, the three upper sects intercepted any approach, and the internal pathways to the outside world were also temporarily sealed. Now, Xuanli would find it nearly impossible to return.

...

On the deep sea Dragon Island.

Loong Jie, with his massive dragon form, glared in the direction of the Devil Palace, his golden pupils flashing with thousands of golden lightning bolts.

The bolts of golden lightning reached deep into the ocean, and the nearby mountains and valleys seemed to connect to the subterranean laws.

Loong Jie was ready.

Surrounding him, the other giant dragons also waited in anxious anticipation for the outcome.

Suddenly, a slender green figure dropped out of nowhere onto Loong Jie's resplendent golden head.

He was tall and thin, his clothing dust-laden, devoid of any adornments, lacking even a storage ring or bracelet.

His only possession was the sword on his back.

It seemed he was accustomed to neglecting his appearance, perhaps from a long period of seclusion, evidenced by the dust on his person and cobwebs in his hair.

With a mere thought, he could have cleansed himself completely, presenting an immaculate figure, yet he appeared indifferent to such concerns.

His gaze, demeanor, and actions all conveyed a sense of naivety, as if he was unfamiliar with worldly matters and awkward in social interactions.

Yet, upon his arrival, perched atop Loong Jie's head, every dragon present, regardless of their lineage or past ferocity, fell into a hushed stillness.

They scarcely dared to breathe.

With a tearing sound, all the protective barriers on Dragon Island were obliterated in an instant.

The entire Dragon Island, along with the surrounding isles, plummeted dramatically, sinking beneath the sea's surface.

All that remained visible were the giant dragons in the sky; the island below had vanished.

Above each dragon's soul hovered a sword, poised to strike at any moment.

Should the swords plunge, the dragons' souls would be impaled, and they would perish.

"Lin Daoke! Do you intend to thwart my ascension to godhood?!"

Loong Jie's roar was low and menacing, his massive golden eyes brimming with what looked like blood, suggesting he could lose his sanity at any second.

"Yes," the man replied crisply.

"Why?!" Loong Jie demanded, seething with rage.

"Old Han instructed me to," the man stated.

"You, as the Sword Sect Lord and the mightiest among the upper sects, why heed the words of an old fool?" Loong Jie's frenzied roars filled the sky, which shimmered with golden waves. Yet, he dared not struggle or offer any real resistance.

"I'm not the sharpest, and he's always had everyone's best interests at heart, so I follow his lead," the man explained with a serene acceptance, showing no trace of shame or inferiority. "He mentioned that your Naga kind still needs to be kept in check. Therefore, you mustn't act rashly this time."

"If you dare, you'll meet your end."

...

Within the Netherworld Scroll.

Yu Yuan was oblivious to the fact that, with the impending emergence of the Divine Throne—a seat likely preordained by Youyu—Han Miaoyuan of the Profound Sky Sect had already taken action.

Han Miaoyuan chose not to confront the source of the Yin Meridians directly but instead severed Xuanli's path of return.

Yu Yuan could only observe the Divine Throne, symbolic of Zhu Zhenchi, undergoing constant transformations: now a towering column, now an altar, and at times, a tangible seat.

Yet, it bore the inscriptions of his enlightenment, the cosmic insights he had gleaned, the divine pathways of his cultivation.

Yu Yuan was not kept waiting long. After all traces on Zhu Zhenchi's fragmented Divine Throne were erased, the crystalline solid morphed into a liquid state.

Gradually, it transformed into a pristine river, brimming with the profound essence of the vast depths.

The crystalline river, devoid of any hue, seemed capable of being painted with any color one desired. It could absorb thoughts, soulful memories, and the profound mysteries of the laws, nurturing and refining them within its flow.

Be it humans, demons, or even devils, anyone with a sufficiently powerful soul who immersed themselves in it could merge with its essence.

This enigmatic and indescribable river was the second manifestation of the Divine Throne.

Youyu remained silent, not uttering a single word nor communicating with his Yin God. He simply levitated the Spectral Palace and stepped onto the confluence of the two intertwining streams.

In the external world.

Yu Yuan, in his true form, grasped the Dragon Slash Platform and clearly witnessed the space, wrapped by the Spectral Diagram, shattering like a mirror.

Youyu emerged abruptly, as the two mystical streams crossed in midair, with the Spectral Palace settling at their juncture.

Standing atop the Spectral Palace, he clutched the blank Spectral Diagram and suddenly cast his gaze toward the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea.

The river, emblematic of the Divine Throne and utterly colorless, surged directly toward the Iridescent Cloud Miasma Sea.

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