The clear moonlight poured through the window, casting a silvery frost upon the floor. The mirror on the dressing table gleamed, vividly reflecting the young girl holding the Multiverse Insight Talisman and watching the glowing screen before her.
The girl’s inner garment was washed spotlessly white. Her family’s circumstances were neither particularly poor nor especially affluent. She was intently watching a video of a recent Human Rankings challenge, deeply impressed by the top contenders’ masterful application of techniques. Their unique yet equally awe-inspiring auras left her feeling inspired and eager to improve her own abilities, as if she couldn’t wait to test her skills.
When the video ended, she turned her head toward the dressing table, catching sight of her own reflection—her eyes shining brightly, her cheeks flushed with excitement.
Then, she shifted her gaze outward. The moon outside was bright, the night tranquil and serene. She could hear the rustling of leaves in the wind, occasionally interrupted by the sound of a mechanical carriage passing by. Everything felt so peaceful and beautiful.
“Motian brought convenient transportation tools, transparent glass far superior to bronze mirrors, and mid-ancient artifacts that significantly increased food and livestock harvests. The Multiverse Insight Talisman broadened the horizons of most martial artists, enriching their knowledge. The saying ‘a thousand miles are but a short distance’ is no longer exclusive to Bodhisattvas…” Her heart was calm and peaceful, naturally recalling descriptions from Nanhuang books about the current world.
Indeed, merely five years ago, her family had barely managed to stay fed and warm, with meat and vegetables available only every other day. The bronze mirror had been polished repeatedly over generations, and her clothes were made from simple fabrics, with new dresses only received during festivals. With average talent, she had no chance of joining a sect or attending a martial arts academy at the expense of her family’s finances. She had been destined to marry upon reaching adulthood, manage household affairs, bear children, and live a repetitive life until growing old and worrying about her children’s marriages.
She had never resisted such a life before, having been repeatedly told that this was the happiest destiny for a girl. However, within five years, the world had changed in unimaginable ways. Transparent glass, once enjoyed only by the aristocracy, now sat on her dressing table. Her father, who used to go from street to street selling goods, had switched to delivering directly to customers’ doors. Although he was still at the bottom of his trade, his income far surpassed what it used to be. Meat and vegetables were available daily, and while she couldn’t have new dresses made on a whim, she no longer had to wait for festivals to get them.
Even more transformative, both for herself and the martial world, was the “Multiverse Insight Orb.” It created a world full of wonders and marvels, where seemingly anything could be obtained or learned. Friends from distant lands became familiar without leaving home. For example, she had never known the phrase “bizarre and dazzling” before, but now she did. Without attending a martial arts academy or joining a sect, she could learn the Starfire Martial Art and watch instructional videos by Nanhuang experts. By paying Yuanhuang Coins, she could even receive guidance from mentors of various sects. She had truly embarked on the martial path and made promising progress.
Her parents no longer urged her to marry, as they believed she would likely have a better future ahead, making it unnecessary to settle down now.
The girl stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the dreamlike, profound night sky bathed in moonlight. She exhaled softly, thinking of her sharp-witted and adorable friend from the Western Regions, of the overseas cultivators who had been awestruck by the Multiverse Insight Talisman, of the energetic group on the forum who endlessly debated, of the many exaggerated posts from enthusiastic shoppers declaring they would cut off their hands if they couldn’t buy something, and of the many wonderful things in the Multiverse Mall that she wanted but couldn’t yet afford.
As she thought about all this, a noticeable curve formed on her lips, and she unconsciously smiled.
This was an age full of hope, an age far surpassing the past.
She lifted her head, gazed at the cold moon, and smiled as she thought, “Many posts say that a great calamity is approaching and the end is near, but how come I feel that the world has never been better? Compared to the past, it’s as if we’ve entered the Pure Land often mentioned by monks…”
The wind was still, the moon was still, the night was still.
Everything was beautiful.
…
Within the Void Homeland, “Night Emperor” Huo Lishang sat high upon the Dharma King’s lotus throne, drawing in the surrounding ethereal immortal qi. These were the purest essences generated at the birth of this world, while the turbid qi sank downward, supporting the Void Homeland and keeping it above all other realms.
Cultivating these pure essences, refining the turbid qi, and then merging them to return to their primal state could produce a trace of primordial chaos, allowing Huo Lishang’s “Great Night of Brahma” to evolve toward the Chaos Infinite.
This was his only option, as his cultivation path had already solidified, making it impossible for him to switch to the “Infinite Seal.”
Darkness surrounded him, as deep and profound as the deepest night. Suddenly, a muffled sound erupted from the sealed depths of the Void Homeland, like thunder from countless heavens, instantly knocking out countless divine envoys and sages into unconsciousness.
A terrifying aura, like a tidal wave, swept across half the homeland, directly shattering Night Emperor’s “Great Night of Brahma” and causing him to tremble instinctively, as if facing a true superior deity.
But instead of being alarmed, Huo Lishang was delighted, his smile brimming with curious enthusiasm: “Which divine envoy has awakened ahead of schedule?”
The true divine envoys, the Twelve Divine Envoys who had once followed the Old Mother!
They were originally supposed to awaken gradually over ten years, yet now they had awakened at least four years early. This would cause tremendous damage to themselves, greatly reducing their strength and even affecting their cultivation base, making them like those barely clinging to life, unable to recover without special opportunities.
Why would a divine envoy risk such a great loss to awaken forcefully? Was something important about to happen?
These were legendary great sages!
The terrifying and sacred aura receded, and a tall figure emerged from the sealed depths of the Void Homeland. He wore a gray robe, his eyes pale and expressionless, his demeanor solemn and dignified. A large string of prayer beads hung from his chest, each bead resembling a white skull, glowing with golden light. Amidst its sacred aura, a sense of ferocity and cruelty radiated.
“Envoy Curtain-Roller.” The Night Emperor rose and greeted him with equal courtesy.
As the Old Mother’s earthly representative, he did not need to bow excessively before a divine envoy.
“You must prepare within the homeland,” said Envoy Curtain-Roller. “I have been ordered by the Old Mother to visit the Jade Void Palace.”
Before the words had fully faded, his figure had already vanished.
“Jade Void Palace?” Night Emperor murmured the name.
Was it Yuanhuang’s Jade Void Palace on Mount Kunlun, or the true Jade Void Palace?
A legendary great sage had awakened forcefully—did this mean the great calamity was about to intensify?
How much more beauty could remain in the world?
…
After arriving in the Fengshen World, Meng Qi came to the Qi King’s Palace and sat with his senior martial uncle, Duke Huan of Qi, also known as Xiao Bai, who had long since returned from his travels and was now deeply immersed in the Multiverse Insight Talisman. They drank a pot of tea together, exchanging no words, and Meng Qi made no request for assistance. He merely used the Multiverse Insight Orb as collateral to borrow the God-Beating Whip from the Duke.
If Xiao Sang were to be revived, it would pose a serious threat to the Old Mother. This journey to the Jade Void Palace—if nothing was discovered, it could pass peacefully. But if Xiao Sang’s hidden plans were uncovered, the Old Mother would surely retaliate fiercely, possibly even summoning the power of a legendary creation-level being. In such a scenario, as a direct disciple of Yuanshi, stationed at the Jade Void Palace, Meng Qi would have a chance to survive, especially with the potential involvement of other powerful figures. However, seeking help was not an option, as it would almost certainly lead to certain death.
Therefore, Meng Qi had no intention of inviting any allies—not even Senior Martial Uncle Xiao Bai or Master Lu Da.
The Old Mother was a being of both martial and divine paths, and her subordinates were similarly powerful. The God-Beating Whip was one of the few weapons capable of countering them, so borrowing it was necessary. If Meng Qi failed to return, the Multiverse Insight Orb would need a new steward, and Senior Martial Uncle Xiao Bai, as a legitimate direct disciple of the Jade Void Palace, was the most suitable candidate. Thus, using the Multiverse Insight Orb as collateral for the God-Beating Whip was a natural course of action.
Seeing Meng Qi’s firm resolve, Duke Huan sighed and said, “You know that your senior uncle used to be wild and unrestrained. I might end up misusing your Multiverse Insight Orb. Just come back quickly.”
“Alright,” Meng Qi replied briefly before leaping upward, ascending directly to the Jade Void Palace.
Outside the Jade Void Palace, the balustrades gleamed with a gentle luster, and the ancient well was deep and mysterious, exuding an eternal silence. Yet the place was not empty!
At the palace gate, three figures stood separately, each occupying their own space without interfering with the others.
The wide-robed man leaning against the balustrade, admiring the ancient well, was none other than the “Demon Sage” Han Guang. He appeared relaxed, as if merely sightseeing rather than visiting the sacred hall of Yuanshi Tianzun. The woman beside the gate was also a familiar martial expert to Meng Qi—”Primordial Fairy” Bi Jingxuan. Her gaze was calm, unflinching as she met Meng Qi’s eyes.
On the other side, lotuses bloomed in white, forming a lotus throne upon which sat a smiling man.
The former Crown Prince of the Jin Dynasty, the elder brother of the old Fifth Prince Zhao?
The jester claimed to be the reincarnation of Maitreya!
How much strength had he regained?
Neither the Demon Sage, the Primordial Fairy, nor the former Crown Prince showed any intent to attack. They seemed to be quietly waiting for Meng Qi to open the gates of the Jade Void Palace.
Who did they each represent, and what roles did they intend to play in this game between Meng Qi and the Old Mother? Meng Qi closed his eyes briefly, then took a step forward, heading toward the palace gates.
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