Shui Miao did not bring everyone into his Realm Planet because even the Realm Planet was not safe at the moment.
Moreover, these people were no ordinary individuals; they were former city lords of Heaven, each of noble status and great power. It wouldn’t be appropriate to keep them confined within the Realm Planet all the time, so having them come out to lend a hand here and there was only natural.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, huh…”
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because it wasn’t safe there either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them prestigious and powerful. Staying in their own Realm Planets wasn’t an option, so it was better to have them out and about, lending a hand whenever possible.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, you say…” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They were all fakes, mere spirit stone puppets crafted from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed,” Ci’en Daoist chimed in, somewhat embarrassed. “I heard from my master that Senior Brother Taishang is skilled in forging techniques. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was fooled just now as well.”
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and drag out Taishang Laojun, the mastermind behind all this,” Shui Miao suggested. Since the puppets were crafted by Taishang Laojun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s mind raced, and he immediately stirred up the crowd.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Taishang Laojun. “How dare he scheme right under my nose? I won’t let this slide,” Xuan Kong’er muttered, his eyes narrowing. “Follow me, I’ll take the lead.” He had already reforged a piece of acquired spiritual treasure into a new artifact called the Kongming Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows of gleaming celestial soldiers and generals, standing guard.
At that moment, numerous immortals were converging from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, heading into the palace.
Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following.
“Who goes there?!” “How dare you trespass the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!” A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, noticing the strangers with a strong aura of malevolence, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Kongming Drum a few times. The celestial soldiers and generals, upon hearing the drumbeats, trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were neither loud nor harsh, yet they had such a devastating effect, surprising everyone.
Xuan Kong’er’s forging skills were exceptional, especially in crafting puppets. Having previously opposed the Heavenly Court, he was very familiar with Taishang Laojun’s methods. Thus, he had forged the Kongming Drum specifically to counter Taishang Laojun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the drum and began pounding it vigorously. Instantly, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace vanished. Even the immortals who had arrived dissipated, as they too were puppets crafted by Taishang Laojun.
“Something’s not right!” Shui Miao’s heart grew wary as he watched Xuan Kong’er move unopposed. If Taishang Laojun had truly hidden his strength and was the mastermind behind all this, he would surely have anticipated their arrival. Knowing they would come, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many genuine ancient immortels. Could this be a trap? Or perhaps the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s mind raced as he focused his senses, probing the entire Lingxiao Palace. Now able to harness the power of the Realm Planet, his ability to sense and explore had increased manifold. With just a thought, he detected the entire structure of the palace—a massive celestial city with an enormous destruction array hidden within. The array’s structure and layout were identical to the one he used to forge destructive immortal artifacts. Moreover, inside the palace was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao’s heart stirred as he immediately activated his magic to alter the array’s layout. He had always left a backdoor in every artifact he forged. If someone imitated or stole his artifacts, he could instantly change the array’s structure with his spiritual power, rendering the artifact useless.
“Boom!” A deep rumble echoed from the Lingxiao Palace as the core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but it’s harmless now. I’ve altered its array structure,” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. The massive celestial city was forged from Tianyuan Stone, and with it, they could create numerous top-tier sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the First Heaven’s sky…
Xuan Kong’er scanned with his divine sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded. This is Taishang Laojun’s ten-sided ambush! In every direction, each dark cloud hides 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with numerous ancient immortels. They’re serious this time. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to sheer numbers. The final battle is upon us. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts,” Shui Miao replied, his mind flashing as he flew into the celestial city.
Wenchang Emperor and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Perfect timing, I need to forge artifacts too,” Xuan Kong’er said with a cold smile, also entering the palace.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Ci’en Daoist suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around, annoyed. “What else can we do? We had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which could have smoothly altered the order of the Three Realms, but now it’s gone because of you. All we can do is fight. By the way, didn’t you say you’re Hongjun Daoist’s disciple? Then Taishang Laojun is your senior brother. Go talk to him! Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he listens to your preaching.”
“…” Ci’en Daoist was stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Do you think I’m that stupid? This isn’t about repair; it’s about theft.”
“You… you’re talking nonsense. My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you fool. If you have the guts, let your master destroy me directly.”
“…” Xuan Kong’er and Ci’en Daoist began to argue, with Xuan Kong’er clearly losing patience and distrusting Ci’en Daoist.
Ci’en Daoist was shocked by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always believed his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go talk to him. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me,” Ci’en Daoist said, turning to leave. But then he remembered something and paused. “Also, my master said that if I die, he would destroy both of you.”
“What…” Ci’en Daoist, in a fit of anger, flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Taishang Laojun.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Hongjun Daoist really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t dwell on it. Calm down and let things take their course. We’re still weak now, but once we’re strong enough, there will be no need to hold back,” Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed Shui Miao had anticipated this all along. Indeed, with the protection of the Purple Destiny Aura, his decisions were always sound. Xuan Kong’er’s heart stirred, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao immediately activated the Blue Cold Flame, melting the raw materials and forging a super-sized Hongyu Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Above the Lingxiao Palace, Ci’en Daoist channeled his magic and shouted, “Senior Brother Taishang, I am Ci’en, the new disciple of our master. Please come out and speak with me!”
The dark clouds around them immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Ci’en Daoist.
“Are you Ci’en, my junior brother?” The white-robed elder, with an immortal aura and youthful appearance, was none other than Taishang Laojun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Ci’en Daoist asked, slightly excited as he looked at Taishang Laojun.
Seeing Ci’en Daoist’s naive expression, Taishang Laojun frowned slightly. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master have you accompany them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring prosperity to all living beings. I’ve told you everything I know. Please act according to our master’s wishes,” Ci’en Daoist said, transmitting all his knowledge to Taishang Laojun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Taishang Laojun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?” “Senior brother, what do you mean by that?” Ci’en Daoist was utterly confused, unable to grasp the true meaning behind Taishang Laojun’s words.
“Nothing. Just listen to your senior brother from now on. Our master had you form a bond with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust me, stand by my side, and together we’ll eliminate them, ensuring peace for the Three Realms and prosperity for all living beings.”
With a wave of his hand, Taishang Laojun summoned a gust of wind, sweeping Ci’en Daoist behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Taishang Laojun raised a red triangular command flag and shouted, “Attack!”
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because it wasn’t safe there either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of noble status and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets wasn’t an option, so having them out and about to lend a hand was somewhat beneficial.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, you say…”
Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of Yin-based magic, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They were all fakes, mere puppets crafted from spirit stones.”
“Indeed,” Ci’en Daoist chimed in, somewhat embarrassed. “I heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in forging techniques. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was fooled just now as well.”
Shui Miao’s mind raced. If Tai Shang Lao Jun had created these puppets, then destroying them would surely alert him. “Let’s head to the First Heaven and confront Tai Shang Lao Jun, the mastermind behind all this,” Shui Miao declared, stirring the group into action.
Xuan Kong’er was eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun as well. “How dare he scheme right under my nose? I won’t let this slide,” he muttered, his eyes gleaming with determination. He had recently reforged a magical artifact called the Void Resonance Drum and was ready to lead the charge.
Upon arriving at the First Heaven, they found it transformed. The once bustling celestial city was gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding it were legions of celestial soldiers, their armor gleaming brightly.
As they approached, a group of celestial soldiers confronted them. “Who dares trespass the Lingxiao Palace?” they shouted, moving to apprehend the intruders.
Xuan Kong’er responded by striking the Void Resonance Drum. The sound, though not loud or piercing, caused the soldiers to tremble and then dissipate into nothingness. The drum’s power was unexpected, a testament to Xuan Kong’er’s forging skills.
He then enlarged the drum and struck it repeatedly, causing all the celestial soldiers and even the arriving immortals to vanish. They were all puppets created by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Shui Miao, however, grew wary. “This doesn’t add up,” he thought. If Tai Shang Lao Jun was truly the mastermind, he would have anticipated their arrival. Why would he leave so many puppets? Could this palace be a trap, perhaps a self-destructing artifact?
Focusing his mind, Shui Miao probed the palace’s interior. He discovered a massive destruction array hidden within, its structure eerily similar to the ones he used in his own forging techniques. Additionally, he found Chong Yuanzi imprisoned in one of the rooms.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques,” Shui Miao mused. He quickly altered the array’s structure using his spiritual power, rendering the self-destruction mechanism inert.
“It’s done. The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but I’ve neutralized it,” Shui Miao informed Xuan Kong’er. The palace, forged from celestial stones, was now a valuable resource for crafting supreme artifacts.
Suddenly, dark clouds began to gather in the sky, signaling an impending ambush. “We’re surrounded,” Xuan Kong’er said, scanning the horizon. “Tai Shang Lao Jun has set up a ten-sided ambush. Each direction is guarded by tens of thousands of celestial soldiers and ancient immortals. The real battle is about to begin.”
Shui Miao, however, had a different plan. “Give me some time to forge something,” he said, retreating into the palace. Xuan Kong’er and the others followed suit.
Inside, Shui Miao immediately began crafting a super-dimensional chessboard using blue cold flames. Meanwhile, Ci’en Daoist, feeling lost, approached Xuan Kong’er for guidance.
“What should I do?” Ci’en Daoist asked nervously.
Xuan Kong’er, frustrated, snapped, “What can we do? We were supposed to have the Wheel of Reincarnation to smoothly alter the order of the Three Realms, but you lost it. Now, all we can do is fight. By the way, aren’t you supposed to be Hong Jun Daoist’s disciple? Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go talk to him, see if he’ll listen to you.”
Ci’en Daoist, taken aback, hesitated but eventually decided to confront Tai Shang Lao Jun. “I’ll go talk to him. I don’t believe he would kill me,” he said, flying out of the palace.
As Ci’en Daoist left, Xuan Kong’er and Shui Miao focused on their tasks. Xuan Kong’er entered the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts, while Shui Miao continued his work on the chessboard.
Meanwhile, Ci’en Daoist reached out to Tai Shang Lao Jun, pleading for a meeting. “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci’en, a new disciple of our master. Please come out and speak with me!”
The dark clouds halted, and Tai Shang Lao Jun appeared before him. “So, you are Ci’en, my junior brother?” he asked, his expression calm yet scrutinizing.
“Yes, I am. Master sent us to reform the Heavenly Court, to bring order and benefit to all living beings,” Ci’en Daoist explained, conveying all he knew through his thoughts.
Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment before smiling. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
Ci’en Daoist was confused. “What do you mean, senior brother?”
“Simply put, you should follow my lead. Our master had you join them to gather information. Now that we have what we need, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust me, stand with me, and together we will eliminate them, ensuring peace for the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun sent Ci’en Daoist to the back of the celestial army. Then, raising a red triangular flag, he commanded, “Attack!”
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because the Realm Planet was not safe either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them holding prestigious status and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets was not an option, so it was better to have them come out and lend a hand.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin-based magical energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They are all fakes, mere puppets crafted from spirit stones.”
“Indeed, I heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in forging techniques. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was fooled just now,” said Daoist Ci En, feeling somewhat embarrassed. To fail on his first attempt and not even recognize the puppets crafted by his senior brother—how could he ever face others again?
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and confront Tai Shang Lao Jun, the mastermind behind this.” Since the puppets were crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and he immediately began to stir up the crowd.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun. How could he let Tai Shang Lao Jun’s schemes go unnoticed right under his nose? With a flicker of his eyes, Xuan Kong’er shouted, “Follow me! I’ll take the lead!” He had already reforged the acquired spiritual treasure he previously possessed into a new artifact called the Void Resonance Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had also changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive and majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows of celestial soldiers and generals, all clad in shining armor, standing guard.
At that moment, numerous immortals were arriving from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, and were making their way into the palace.
Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following.
“Who goes there?!” “How dare you trespass the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!” A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, noticing the strangers exuding a strong aura of malevolence, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Void Resonance Drum a few times, and the celestial soldiers and generals, upon hearing the resonant booms, trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drum’s sound was neither loud nor piercing, yet it had such a devastating effect, which took everyone by surprise. Xuan Kong’er’s forging skills were exceptional, and he particularly enjoyed crafting puppets. Having previously opposed the Heavenly Court, he was very familiar with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods, which was why he had forged the Void Resonance Drum specifically to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Void Resonance Drum and began to strike it vigorously. Instantly, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace dissipated. Even the immortals who had arrived began to vanish, as they too were puppets crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!” Seeing Xuan Kong’er moving through the palace as if it were empty, Shui Miao suddenly became alert. If Tai Shang Lao Jun had truly hidden his strength and was the mastermind behind all this, given his intelligence, he would have anticipated their arrival. Knowing they would come, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many real ancient immortals. Could this be a trap? Or perhaps the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and he quickly focused his mind to sense and investigate everything within the Lingxiao Palace. Shui Miao could now harness the power of the Realm Planet, and his ability to sense and explore had increased manifold. With just a thought, he detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was a massive celestial city, with an incredibly complex and vast destruction array hidden within. The layout of the array was identical to the one he used to forge destructive artifacts. Moreover, inside the city, there was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao’s mind stirred, and he immediately channeled his energy to alter the array’s layout. Whenever Shui Miao forged an artifact, he always left a backdoor. If someone imitated or stole his artifact, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array’s structure within the artifact, rendering it useless.
“Boom!” The Lingxiao Palace suddenly emitted a deep, resonant sound as its core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“Done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but now it’s safe. I’ve altered its array structure with my spiritual power,” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. This massive celestial city was entirely forged from Tianyuan Stone. With it, they could create numerous top-tier sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the First Heaven’s sky…
Xuan Kong’er scanned with his divine sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded! This is the ten-sided ambush Tai Shang Lao Jun has prepared for us! In every direction—east, west, north, and south—each dark cloud hides 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with numerous ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to overwhelming numbers. Now, the time for the final battle has come. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts,” Shui Miao’s thoughts flashed, and he immediately flew into the celestial city.
Emperor Wenchang and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Perfect timing, I need to forge artifacts too,” Xuan Kong’er sneered and also entered the Lingxiao Palace.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Daoist Ci En suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around and said irritably, “What else can we do? Originally, we had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which could have smoothly altered the order of the Three Realms. But now, thanks to you, it’s gone. What else can we do but fight? By the way, didn’t you say you’re a disciple of Daoist Hong Jun? Then Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go and talk to him! Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he listens to your preaching.”
“…” Daoist Ci En was momentarily stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation because he needed to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? Even I, Xuan Kong’er, as foolish as I am, can see through this. This isn’t about repairing; it’s about seizing.”
“You… you’re talking nonsense! My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot. If you have the guts, let your master destroy me directly.”
“…”
Xuan Kong’er and Daoist Ci En began to argue. Xuan Kong’er clearly had a short temper and little patience, and he didn’t trust Daoist Ci En.
Daoist Ci En was stunned by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always thought his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed that Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me,” Daoist Ci En turned to leave but suddenly remembered something. He paused and added, “Also, my master said that if I die, he would destroy both of you.”
“What…”
In a fit of anger, Daoist Ci En flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Daoist Hong Jun really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t dwell on it. Calm down and let things take their course. Our current strength is still weak. When we become strong enough, there will be no need for restraint,” Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed Shui Miao had anticipated this all along. Indeed, Shui Miao was protected by the Purple Destiny Aura, so his decisions were undoubtedly correct. Xuan Kong’er’s mind stirred, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before immediately entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao directly summoned the Blue Cold Flame to smelt the raw materials and forged a super Grand Universe Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Above the Lingxiao Palace, Daoist Ci En channeled his energy and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci En, the new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me!”
The surrounding dark clouds immediately halted.
An elderly man in white robes suddenly appeared, standing before Daoist Ci En.
“Are you my junior brother, Ci En?” The elderly man, with an immortal’s demeanor and a youthful face, was none other than Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Daoist Ci En looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun with slight excitement.
Seeing Daoist Ci En’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun couldn’t help but frown. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master let you stay with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring prosperity to all living beings. I’ll tell you everything I know, and I hope you’ll act according to our master’s wishes.” Innocently, Daoist Ci En transmitted all he knew to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean by that?”
Daoist Ci En was utterly confused, completely unable to grasp the true meaning behind Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“Nothing much. From now on, just listen to your senior brother. Our master had you form a bond with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust your senior brother, stand by my side, and together we will eliminate them, ensuring the safety and prosperity of the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind that swept Daoist Ci En behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular command flag and bellowed, “Kill!”
“Let’s go to the First Heaven and drag out that scheming old bastard, Laozi!” Since the puppets were made by Laozi, destroying them would surely alert him. Shui Miao, catching on quickly, shouted loudly to rally everyone.
Xuankong was also eager to confront Laozi.
“That old fart dared to scheme right under my nose! I can’t just let that slide!” Xuankong’s eyes flickered with thought and he immediately called out, “Follow me, I’ll take the lead!” He had already reforged his previous artifact into a new treasure called the Kong Ming Drum, and in a flash, he vanished toward the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by one enormous and majestic golden palace.
All around the palace, heavenly soldiers and generals in gleaming armor stood guard.
At that moment, countless immortals were converging from all directions, as if rushing to a grand feast, heading straight into the palace.
Xuankong appeared directly at the palace gates.
Shui Miao and the others quickly followed.
“Who goes there!?”
“Dare you trespass upon the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!”
A group of heavenly soldiers and generals suddenly spotted an unfamiliar figure radiating a strong aura of darkness and immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Xuankong struck his Kong Ming Drum a few times toward the soldiers. Upon hearing the dull thuds, their bodies trembled and then disintegrated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were neither loud nor piercing, yet they carried such devastating power that it shocked everyone present.
Xuankong was a master craftsman, especially skilled in creating puppets. Having opposed Heaven before, he was very familiar with Laozi’s techniques. That was why he forged the Kong Ming Drum—specifically designed to counter Laozi’s spirit-stone puppets.
Then, Xuankong enlarged the drum and began pounding it furiously.
Instantly, all the heavenly soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace vanished.
Even the immortals who had been arriving were also wiped out, for they too were puppets crafted by Laozi.
“This isn’t right!”
Seeing Xuankong cut through them like a hot knife through butter, Shui Miao suddenly grew suspicious.
Given Laozi’s cultivation level, if he truly was the hidden mastermind, he should have anticipated that someone would come after him. If he knew they would come, why would he only set up so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many real ancient immortals here. Was there a trap?
Or perhaps, this Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact!?
Shui Miao quickly focused his mind and began scanning the palace with his spiritual sense.
Now, Shui Miao could harness the power of his Realm Planet, and his perception abilities had increased exponentially.
As soon as he extended his spiritual sense, Shui Miao discovered the truth about the entire Lingxiao Palace—it was an enormous celestial city secretly embedded with a massive destruction formation. The layout and structure of the formation were identical to the ones he used when forging destruction artifacts. Moreover, inside one of the palace rooms, he detected Chongyuanzi, bound and imprisoned.
“Funny! He actually copied my forging techniques!”
Shui Miao’s mind shifted instantly, and he began manipulating his spiritual energy to alter the formation’s structure.
Whenever Shui Miao forged an artifact, he always left a hidden backdoor. If someone imitated or stole it, he could instantly change the internal formation with his spiritual power, rendering it useless.
“Boom!”
A deep, muffled explosion echoed from the Lingxiao Palace as its core formation was disrupted by Shui Miao’s spiritual force.
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because the Realm Planet was not safe either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them of noble status and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets was not an option, and it was better to have them come out and lend a hand.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin-based spiritual energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They are all fakes, all puppets made from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed, I’ve heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in forging techniques. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and ordinary people would never notice. I was fooled just now as well,” said Ci En Daoist, somewhat embarrassed. It was his first move, and he had already been humiliated by failing to recognize his senior brother’s puppets. How could he continue like this?
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and drag out Tai Shang Lao Jun, the mastermind behind this.” Since the puppets were created by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately began to stir up the crowd. Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“How dare Tai Shang Lao Jun play tricks right under my nose? I can’t just swallow this anger,” Xuan Kong’er muttered, his eyes narrowing. He then shouted, “Follow me, I’ll take the lead!” Xuan Kong’er had already reforged the acquired spiritual treasure he previously possessed into a new artifact called the Kong Ming Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had also changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows of celestial soldiers and generals, all clad in shining armor.
At that moment, numerous immortals were converging from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, heading into the palace. Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following.
“Who goes there? How dare you trespass into the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!” A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, noticing the strangers with a strong aura of malevolence, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Kong Ming Drum a few times. The celestial soldiers and generals, upon hearing the drumbeats, trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were neither loud nor harsh, yet they had such devastating power, which surprised everyone. Xuan Kong’er was highly skilled in forging, especially in creating puppets. Having previously opposed the Heavenly Court, he was very familiar with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods, which was why he had forged the Kong Ming Drum specifically to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Kong Ming Drum and began to strike it vigorously. Instantly, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace dissipated. Even the immortals who had arrived began to vanish, as they too were puppets forged by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!” Seeing Xuan Kong’er moving as if unopposed, Shui Miao suddenly became alert. If Tai Shang Lao Jun, with his profound cultivation, was truly the mastermind, he would surely have anticipated their arrival. Knowing they would come, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should be many real ancient immortals. Could this be a trap? Or perhaps the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced as he focused his spirit, sensing and probing everything within the Lingxiao Palace. Shui Miao could now harness the power of the Realm Planet, and his ability to sense and probe had increased manifold. With just a thought, he detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was a massive celestial city, with an enormous destructive array hidden within. The layout of the array was identical to the one he used to forge destructive artifacts. Moreover, inside the city, there was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao’s mind stirred, and he immediately used his spiritual power to alter the array’s layout. Shui Miao had left backdoors in every artifact he forged. If someone imitated or stole his artifacts, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array’s structure, rendering the artifact useless.
“Boom!” The Lingxiao Palace emitted a deep, resonant sound as its core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but now it’s safe. I’ve altered its array structure,” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. This massive celestial city was forged from Tian Yuan Stone, and with it, they could create numerous supreme-grade saintly artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the First Heaven’s sky…
Xuan Kong’er scanned with his divine sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded. This is the Ten-Sided Ambush Tai Shang Lao Jun has prepared for us! In every direction, within those dark clouds, there are 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with numerous ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to overwhelming numbers. Now, the time for the decisive battle has come. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts,” Shui Miao’s thoughts flashed, and he immediately flew into the celestial city. Emperor Wen Chang and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Coincidentally, I also need to forge artifacts,” Xuan Kong’er said with a cold laugh, entering the Lingxiao Palace as well.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Ci En Daoist suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around and said irritably, “What else can we do? Originally, we had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which would have allowed us to smoothly alter the order of the Three Realms. But now, thanks to you, it’s gone. What else can we do but fight? By the way, didn’t you say you’re a disciple of Hong Jun Daoist? Then Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go and talk to him! Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he’ll listen to your preaching.”
“…” Ci En Daoist was momentarily stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? Even I, Xuan Kong’er, as foolish as I am, can see through this. This isn’t about repairing; it’s about seizing.”
“You’re talking nonsense! My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot. If you have the guts, let your master destroy me directly.”
“…” Xuan Kong’er and Ci En Daoist began to argue, with Xuan Kong’er clearly losing patience and distrusting Ci En Daoist.
Ci En Daoist was stunned by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always believed that his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed that Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of his own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me,” Ci En Daoist turned to leave but suddenly remembered something and paused. “Also, my master said that if I die, he would personally come and destroy both of you.”
“What…” Ci En Daoist, in a fit of anger, flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Hong Jun Daoist really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t overthink it. Calm down and let things take their course. Our strength is still weak now. When we’re strong enough, there will be no need for restraint,” Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed Shui Miao had already anticipated this! Indeed, Shui Miao was protected by the Purple Fortune Aura, so his decisions were undoubtedly correct. Xuan Kong’er’s heart stirred, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before immediately entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence, and Shui Miao directly activated the Blue Cold Flame to smelt the raw materials, forging a super-sized Hong Yu Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Above the Lingxiao Palace, Ci En Daoist channeled his spiritual power and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci En, the new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me!”
The dark clouds around them immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Ci En Daoist.
“Are you my junior brother, Ci En?” The white-robed elder, with an immortal demeanor and a youthful face despite his white hair, was none other than Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Ci En Daoist looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun with slight excitement.
Seeing Ci En Daoist’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun couldn’t help but frown. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master allow you to be with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring blessings to all living beings. I’ll tell you everything I know, and I hope you’ll act according to our master’s wishes,” the innocent Ci En Daoist immediately transmitted all his knowledge to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean by that?” Ci En Daoist was utterly confused, unable to grasp the true meaning of Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“Nothing much. From now on, just listen to me. Our master had you form a bond with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we’ve learned what we needed, there’s no need for you to stay with them. If you trust me, stand by my side, and together we’ll eliminate them, ensuring peace for the Three Realms and bringing blessings to all living beings.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind, sweeping Ci En Daoist behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular flag and bellowed, “Kill!”
“So it was a trap!”
Xuankong quickly retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began rising from all directions across the skies of the First Heaven…
Xuankong swept his divine consciousness outward and was slightly startled. “Looks like we’re surrounded. This is Laozi’s tenfold ambush! Each of those clouds hides a hundred thousand heavenly soldiers and ancient immortals. They’re serious this time. Since the self-destructing city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to brute force. Now it’s time for the final showdown. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What plan? Just give me a moment—I need to forge something.”
Shui Miao immediately darted into the celestial city.
Wenchang Dijun and the others quickly followed him into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Coincidentally, I also need to forge something.”
Xuankong smirked coldly and entered the palace as well.
“Big brother, what should I do?”
Ci’en Taoist suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do next.
Shui Miao did not take everyone into the Realm Planet because it wasn’t safe there either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures—they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them of noble status and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets wasn’t an option; it was better to have them out and about, lending a hand wherever they could.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin-based magic, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I expected. They were all fakes, mere spirit stone puppets crafted from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed,” Ci’en Daoist chimed in, somewhat embarrassed. “I heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in the art of forging. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was fooled just now as well.”
Ci’en Daoist felt a bit ashamed. This was his first time taking action, and he had already made a fool of himself by failing to recognize his senior brother’s puppets. How was he supposed to make a name for himself in the future?
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and flush out Tai Shang Lao Jun, the mastermind behind all this,” Shui Miao suggested. Since the puppets were created by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s mind raced, and he immediately started rallying everyone.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun. How could he let Tai Shang Lao Jun cause trouble right under his nose? Xuan Kong’er’s eyes gleamed as he shouted, “Follow me! I’ll take the lead!” He had already reforged his acquired spiritual treasure into a new artifact called the Kong Ming Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows of heavily armored celestial soldiers and generals, standing guard.
At that moment, numerous immortals were converging from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, and were making their way into the palace.
Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following suit.
“Who goes there?” a celestial soldier barked. “How dare you trespass into the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!”
A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, sensing the strong malevolent aura of the intruders, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Kong Ming Drum a few times. The celestial soldiers and generals trembled upon hearing the drumbeats and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were neither loud nor piercing, yet they had such a devastating effect, which took everyone by surprise.
Xuan Kong’er was highly skilled in forging, especially in creating puppets. Given his past conflicts with the Heavenly Court and his familiarity with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods, he had crafted the Kong Ming Drum specifically to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Kong Ming Drum and began pounding it vigorously. In an instant, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace vanished. Even the immortals who had been approaching dissipated, as they too were puppets forged by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!” Shui Miao thought, suddenly on high alert. If Tai Shang Lao Jun, with his profound cultivation, was truly the mastermind, he would surely have anticipated their return. So why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many real ancient immortals. Could this be a trap? Or perhaps the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s mind raced as he focused his spirit, probing the Lingxiao Palace for any clues. With the power of the Realm Planet at his disposal, his ability to sense and explore had increased manifold.
As soon as he activated his spiritual sense, Shui Miao detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was a massive celestial city, with an enormous self-destruction array hidden within. The layout of the array was identical to the one he used in forging destructive celestial artifacts. Moreover, there was a room inside the city where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao thought. He immediately channeled his magic to alter the array’s layout. He had always left a backdoor in every artifact he forged. If someone copied or stole his artifact, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array’s structure, rendering the artifact useless.
“Boom!” A deep rumble echoed from the Lingxiao Palace as the core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but it’s harmless now. I’ve altered its array structure,” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. The massive celestial city was forged from Tian Yuan Stone, and with it, they could create numerous top-tier sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the First Heaven’s sky.
Xuan Kong’er scanned the area with his spiritual sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded. This is Tai Shang Lao Jun’s ten-sided ambush! In every direction—east, west, north, and south—there are 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals hidden within the dark clouds, along with numerous ancient immortals. They’re serious this time. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to overwhelming numbers. Now is the time for the final showdown. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts,” Shui Miao replied, his mind racing as he flew into the celestial city.
Wenchang Emperor and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Perfect timing. I need to forge artifacts too,” Xuan Kong’er said with a cold laugh as he entered the Lingxiao Palace.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Ci’en Daoist suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around and snapped, “What else can we do? We had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which could have smoothly altered the order of the Three Realms, but you lost it. Now, all we can do is fight. By the way, didn’t you say you’re a disciple of Hongjun Daoist? Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go talk to him! Have a nice chat with your senior brother and see if he listens to your preaching.”
Ci’en Daoist was stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Do you think I’m that stupid? This isn’t about repairing; it’s about seizing.”
“You’re talking nonsense! My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot. If you have the guts, let your master come and destroy me.”
Xuan Kong’er and Ci’en Daoist began to argue, with Xuan Kong’er clearly losing patience and distrusting Ci’en Daoist.
Ci’en Daoist was shocked by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always thought his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go talk to him. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me,” Ci’en Daoist said, turning to leave. But then he remembered something and added, “Also, my master said that if I die, he would come and destroy both of you.”
“What?!” Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Hongjun Daoist had actually said that?
“Big brother, don’t overthink it. Calm down and let things take their course. We’re still weak now, but once we’re strong enough, there will be no need to hold back,” Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed Shui Miao had already anticipated this. With the protection of the Purple Fortune Qi, his decisions were always sound. Xuan Kong’er’s mind settled, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao directly activated the Blue Cold Flame, smelting the raw materials to forge a super Cosmic Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Ci’en Daoist, standing in the sky above the Lingxiao Palace, channeled his magic and shouted, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci’en, a new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me!”
The dark clouds around them immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Ci’en Daoist.
“Are you Ci’en, my junior brother?” the white-robed elder asked, exuding an immortal aura. He was none other than Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Ci’en Daoist asked, slightly excited as he looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Seeing Ci’en Daoist’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun frowned slightly. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master allow you to be with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring prosperity to all living beings. I’ve told you everything I know. Please act according to our master’s wishes,” Ci’en Daoist said, transmitting all his knowledge to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean by that?”
Ci’en Daoist was utterly confused, unable to grasp the true meaning of Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“It’s simple. From now on, just listen to me. Our master had you join them to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust me, stand by my side, and together we will eliminate them, ensuring the safety and prosperity of the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind that swept Ci’en Daoist behind the ranks of celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular command flag and bellowed, “Attack!”
“…”
Ci’en Taoist froze, suddenly feeling like he had made a grave mistake.
“No! My master would never be wrong. My master took the Wheel of Reincarnation because he wanted to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done it long ago. Don’t give me that crap. He’s not repairing it—he’s stealing it.”
“You—you’re lying! My master is also your master. How can you speak of him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot! If you’re so brave, let your master come and kill me himself!”
“…”
Xuankong and Ci’en Taoist began arguing. Xuankong, clearly short-tempered and impatient, no longer trusted Ci’en.
Ci’en was stunned by Xuankong’s harsh words.
He had always believed his big brother would treat him kindly, but now he realized that his “big brother” had never truly accepted him.
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because the Realm Planet was not safe either. Moreover, these individuals were not ordinary people; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them holding prestigious positions and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets was not an option, and it was better to have them come out and lend a hand in some way.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin-based spiritual energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I expected. They are all fake, mere spirit stone puppets crafted from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed, I heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in the art of forging. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was just deceived as well.”
Daoist Ci En felt a bit embarrassed. It was his first time taking action, and he had already been humiliated by failing to recognize the puppets crafted by his senior brother. How could he continue like this?
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and flush out Tai Shang Lao Jun, the mastermind behind this.” Since the puppets were crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately began to stir up the crowd, shouting loudly.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun. How could he let Tai Shang Lao Jun cause trouble right under his nose? With a flicker of his eyes, Xuan Kong’er shouted, “All of you, follow me! I’ll take the lead…” Xuan Kong’er had already reforged the acquired spiritual treasure he previously possessed, creating a new artifact called the Void Resonance Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had also changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows of celestial soldiers and generals, all clad in shining armor, standing guard.
At that moment, numerous immortals were arriving from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, heading into the palace.
Xuan Kong’er flashed to the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following.
“Who goes there?”
“How dare you trespass into the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them…”
A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, noticing the strangers exuding a strong aura of malevolence, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom…”
Xuan Kong’er struck the Void Resonance Drum a few times, and the celestial soldiers and generals, upon hearing the booming sounds, trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drum’s sound was neither loud nor piercing, yet it had such power, which was beyond everyone’s expectations.
Xuan Kong’er’s forging skills were exceptional, and he particularly enjoyed crafting puppets. Having previously opposed the Heavenly Court, he was very familiar with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods. Thus, he had forged the Void Resonance Drum specifically to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Void Resonance Drum and began to strike it vigorously. Instantly, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace dissipated. Even the immortals who had arrived earlier vanished, as they were all puppets crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!”
Seeing Xuan Kong’er moving as if unopposed, Shui Miao suddenly became alert. Given Tai Shang Lao Jun’s cultivation, if he had truly hidden his strength and was the mastermind behind all this, he would surely have anticipated their arrival. Knowing they would come, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many genuine ancient immortals. Could this be a trap?
Or perhaps, the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and he quickly focused his mind, sensing and probing everything within the Lingxiao Palace.
Shui Miao could now harness the power of the Realm Planet, and his ability to sense and probe had increased manifold. With just a thought, he detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was a massive celestial city, with an incredibly vast destruction array hidden within. The structure and layout of the array were identical to the one he had used to forge a destructive celestial artifact. Moreover, within the city, there was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!”
Shui Miao’s mind stirred, and he immediately channeled his spiritual energy to alter the array’s layout.
Whenever Shui Miao forged an artifact, he always left a backdoor. If someone imitated or stole his artifact, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array’s structure within the artifact, rendering it useless.
“Boom!”
The Lingxiao Palace suddenly emitted a deep, resonant sound as the core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but now it’s safe. I’ve altered the array’s structure with my spiritual power.” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. This massive celestial city was entirely forged from Tian Yuan Stone. With it, they could forge numerous top-tier sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!”
Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the sky around the First Heaven…
Xuan Kong’er scanned with his divine sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded. This is the Ten-Sided Ambush that Tai Shang Lao Jun has arranged for us! In every direction, each dark cloud hides 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with numerous ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to sheer numbers. Now, the time for the decisive battle has come. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts.”
Shui Miao’s thoughts flashed, and he immediately flew into the celestial city.
Emperor Wen Chang and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Coincidentally, I also need to forge artifacts.”
Xuan Kong’er smirked coldly and also entered the Lingxiao Palace.
“Big brother, what should I do?”
Daoist Ci En suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around and said impatiently, “What else can we do? Originally, we had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which could have smoothly altered the order of the Three Realms. But now, you’ve lost it. What else can we do but fight? By the way, didn’t you say you’re the disciple of Daoist Hong Jun? Then Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go and talk to him! Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he listens to your preaching.”
“…”
Daoist Ci En was momentarily stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? Even I, Xuan Kong’er, as foolish as I am, can see through this. This isn’t repair; it’s theft.”
“You’re talking nonsense! My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot. If you have the guts, let your master destroy me directly.”
“…”
Xuan Kong’er and Daoist Ci En began to argue. Xuan Kong’er clearly had a short temper and little patience, and he didn’t trust Daoist Ci En.
Daoist Ci En was stunned by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words.
Daoist Ci En had always believed that his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed that Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me.” Daoist Ci En turned to leave but suddenly remembered something. He paused and added, “Also, my master said that if I die, he would destroy both of you.”
“What…”
In a fit of anger, Daoist Ci En flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Daoist Hong Jun really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t overthink it. Calm down and let things take their course. Our current strength is still weak. When we become strong enough, there will be no need for restraint.”
Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed that Shui Miao had anticipated this all along. Indeed, Shui Miao was protected by the Purple Fortune Aura, so his decisions were undoubtedly correct. Xuan Kong’er’s mind stirred, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before immediately entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao directly activated the Blue Cold Flame, melting the raw materials to forge a super Cosmic Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!”
Above the Lingxiao Palace, Daoist Ci En channeled his spiritual energy and shouted loudly, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci En, the new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me for a moment!”
The surrounding dark clouds immediately halted.
An elderly man in white Taoist robes suddenly appeared, standing before Daoist Ci En.
“Are you Junior Brother Ci En?”
The elderly man, with an immortal aura, white hair, and a youthful face, was none other than Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Daoist Ci En looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun with slight excitement.
Seeing Daoist Ci En’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun couldn’t help but frown. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master have you associate with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring prosperity to all living beings. I will tell you everything I know, and I hope you will act according to our master’s wishes.” Innocently, Daoist Ci En transmitted all he knew to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior Brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean?”
Daoist Ci En was utterly confused, unable to grasp the true meaning of Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“Nothing much. From now on, just listen to me. Our master had you associate with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust me, stand by my side, and together we will eliminate them, ensuring the safety and prosperity of the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind, sweeping Daoist Ci En behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular command flag and shouted, “Kill!”
“What…?”
Furious, Ci’en flew straight out of the Lingxiao Palace to confront Laozi.
Xuankong was momentarily stunned. Hongjun Daoist had actually said something like that!?
“Big brother, don’t think too much about it. Calm your mind and go with the flow. Our power is still weak now. When we grow stronger, we won’t have to hold back anymore.”
Shui Miao suddenly sent him a mental message.
It seemed Shui Miao had already calculated this. Of course—he had the Purple Fortune Aura protecting him, so his decisions were never wrong. Xuankong’s heart stirred and he simply replied, “Fine,” before immediately entering the Time Tower to forge his artifacts.
Time was pressing. Shui Miao directly summoned his blue cold flame, melted down raw materials, and forged a supreme artifact—the Hongyu Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop at once!”
Above the Lingxiao Palace, Ci’en Taoist unleashed his spiritual energy and shouted loudly into the sky.
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because it was not safe there either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them of noble status and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets was not an option, so it was better to have them out and about, lending a hand wherever they could.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of Yin-based magical energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They are all fakes, mere spirit stone puppets crafted from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed,” Ci’en Daoist said, somewhat embarrassed. “I heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in the art of forging. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was fooled just now as well.”
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and confront Tai Shang Lao Jun, the mastermind behind this grand scheme.” Since the puppets were created by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately began to stir up the crowd.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun. “How dare Tai Shang Lao Jun cause trouble right under my nose? I can’t just let this slide.” With a flick of his eyes, Xuan Kong’er shouted, “Follow me, I’ll take the lead!” He had already reforged a piece of acquired spiritual treasure into a new artifact called the Kong Ming Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had also changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. The palace was surrounded by celestial soldiers and generals, all clad in shining armor.
At that moment, numerous immortals were arriving from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, and were entering the palace. Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following.
“Who goes there?!” “How dare you trespass the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!” A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, noticing the strangers with a strong aura of malevolence, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Kong Ming Drum a few times. Upon hearing the booming sounds, the celestial soldiers and generals trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drum’s sound was neither loud nor piercing, yet it had such a powerful effect, surprising everyone. Xuan Kong’er’s forging skills were exceptional, and he particularly enjoyed crafting puppets. Having previously opposed the Heavenly Court, he was very familiar with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods, which was why he could create the Kong Ming Drum specifically designed to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Kong Ming Drum and began to strike it vigorously. Instantly, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace dissipated. Even the immortals who had arrived began to vanish, as they too were puppets forged by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!” Seeing Xuan Kong’er moving as if unopposed, Shui Miao suddenly became alert. Given Tai Shang Lao Jun’s cultivation level, if he were truly hiding his strength and was the mastermind, his intelligence would surely account for the possibility of them coming to cause trouble. If he knew they would return, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should be many real ancient immortals. Could this be a trap? Or perhaps, the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and he immediately focused his mind to sense and investigate everything within the Lingxiao Palace. Shui Miao could now harness the power of the Realm Planet, and his ability to sense and investigate had increased manifold.
As soon as he focused his mind, Shui Miao detected the entire Lingxiao Palace. It was a massive celestial city, with an incredibly vast destruction array hidden within. The structure and layout of the array were identical to the one he used to forge destructive artifacts. Moreover, inside the celestial city, there was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao’s heart stirred, and he immediately activated his magic to alter the layout. Shui Miao had left backdoors in every artifact he forged. If someone imitated or stole his artifacts, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array structure within the artifact, rendering it useless.
“Boom!” The Lingxiao Palace suddenly emitted a deep, resonant sound as the core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“Success! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but it’s safe now. I’ve altered its array structure with my spiritual power.” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. This massive celestial city was forged from Tianyuan Stone, and with it, they could create numerous top-grade sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the sky around the First Heaven. Xuan Kong’er scanned with his divine sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded. This is the ten-sided ambush Tai Shang Lao Jun has prepared for us! In every direction, each dark cloud hides 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with a large number of ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to overwhelming numbers. Now, the time for the decisive battle has come. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts.” Shui Miao’s thoughts flashed, and he immediately flew into the celestial city. Emperor Wenchang and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Coincidentally, I also need to forge artifacts.” Xuan Kong’er gave a cold laugh and entered the Lingxiao Palace as well.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Ci’en Daoist suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around and said irritably, “What else can we do? Originally, we had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which could have smoothly altered the order of the Three Realms. But now, thanks to you, it’s gone. What else can we do but fight? By the way, didn’t you say you’re a disciple of Hongjun Daoist? Then Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go and talk to him! Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he listens to your preaching.”
“…” Ci’en Daoist was momentarily stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master cannot be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? Even I, Xuan Kong’er, as foolish as I may be, can see through this. This isn’t repair; it’s theft.”
“You… you’re talking nonsense. My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you fool. If you have the guts, let your master destroy me directly.”
“…”
Xuan Kong’er and Ci’en Daoist began to argue. Xuan Kong’er clearly had a short temper and little patience, and he didn’t trust Ci’en Daoist.
Ci’en Daoist was stunned by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always believed that his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed that Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me.” Ci’en Daoist turned to leave but suddenly remembered something and paused. “Also, my master said that if I die, he would intervene and destroy both of you.”
“What…”
In a fit of anger, Ci’en Daoist flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Hongjun Daoist really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t dwell on it. Calm your mind and let things take their course. Our strength is still weak. When we become strong enough, there will be no need for restraint.”
Shui Miao suddenly sent a telepathic message to Xuan Kong’er. It seemed that Shui Miao had anticipated this all along. Indeed, Shui Miao was protected by the Purple Destiny Aura, so his decisions were undoubtedly correct. Xuan Kong’er’s heart stirred, and he simply responded, “Alright,” before immediately entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao directly activated the Blue Cold Flame to smelt the raw materials and forged a super-sized Hong Yu Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Above the Lingxiao Palace, Ci’en Daoist channeled his magic and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci’en, the new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me for a moment!”
The dark clouds around them immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Ci’en Daoist. “You are Ci’en, my junior brother?” The white-robed elder, with an immortal demeanor and a youthful face despite his white hair, was none other than Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Ci’en Daoist looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun with slight excitement.
Seeing Ci’en Daoist’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun couldn’t help but frown. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master place you with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring prosperity to all living beings. I will tell you everything I know, and I hope you will act according to our master’s wishes.” Innocently, Ci’en Daoist transmitted all his knowledge to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean by that?”
Ci’en Daoist was utterly confused, unable to grasp the true meaning behind Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“Nothing much. From now on, just listen to your senior brother. Our master had you form a brotherhood with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust your senior brother, stand by my side, and together we will eliminate them, ensuring eternal peace and prosperity for the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind that swept Ci’en Daoist behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular command flag and shouted, “Kill!”
The surrounding dark clouds immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared in the sky, standing before Ci’en.
“You are Ci’en, my junior brother?”
The elder had the bearing of a true immortal, with white hair and a youthful face. He was none other than the supreme expert of Heaven—Laozi.
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because it was not safe there either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them holding prestigious status and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets was not an option, and it was better to have them out and about, lending a hand wherever possible.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin-based magical energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings in an instant. In just a moment, the Four Heavenly Kings dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They are all fakes, mere puppets crafted from spirit stones.”
“Indeed,” Ci’en Daoist chimed in, somewhat embarrassed. “I heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in the art of forging. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was fooled just now.”
Ci’en Daoist felt a bit ashamed. It was his first time taking action, and he had already made a fool of himself by failing to recognize the puppets crafted by his senior brother. How could he continue like this?
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and flush out Tai Shang Lao Jun, this mastermind behind the scenes,” Shui Miao suggested. Since the puppets were crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s mind raced, and he immediately started rallying everyone.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun. How could he let Tai Shang Lao Jun scheme right under his nose? Xuan Kong’er’s eyes narrowed, and he shouted, “All of you, follow me! I’ll take the lead!” Xuan Kong’er had already reforged the acquired spiritual treasure he had previously possessed into a new artifact called the Kongming Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had also changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows of celestial soldiers and generals, clad in shining armor, standing guard.
At that moment, numerous immortals were arriving from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, and were making their way into the palace.
Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance. Shui Miao and the others quickly followed.
“Who goes there?” a celestial soldier shouted.
“How dare you trespass into the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!” A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, noticing the strangers with a strong aura of malevolence, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Kongming Drum a few times. The celestial soldiers and generals, upon hearing the drumbeats, trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were not loud or piercing, yet they had such a powerful effect, which surprised everyone.
Xuan Kong’er’s forging skills were exceptional, and he particularly enjoyed crafting puppets. Having previously opposed the Heavenly Court, he was very familiar with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods. That’s why he had forged the Kongming Drum, specifically designed to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Kongming Drum and began striking it vigorously. In an instant, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace dissipated. Even the immortals who had arrived earlier vanished, as they were all puppets crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!” Shui Miao suddenly felt a sense of caution as he watched Xuan Kong’er move through the area unopposed.
Given Tai Shang Lao Jun’s cultivation level, if he had truly hidden his strength and was indeed the mastermind behind all this, his intelligence would surely have anticipated their arrival. Knowing they would come, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many genuine ancient immortals. Could this be a trap?
Or perhaps, the Lingxiao Palace itself was a problem—a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s mind raced, and he quickly focused his spirit to sense and investigate everything within the Lingxiao Palace. Shui Miao could now harness the power of the Realm Planet, and his ability to sense and explore had increased manifold.
As soon as he focused his mind, Shui Miao detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was a massive celestial city, with an incredibly complex and vast destruction array hidden within. The structure and layout of the array were identical to the one he had used to forge his own destructive celestial artifact. Moreover, within the celestial city, there was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao thought to himself and immediately activated his magic to alter the array’s layout.
Shui Miao had always left a backdoor in every artifact he forged. If someone imitated or stole his artifact, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array’s structure within the artifact, rendering it useless.
“Boom!” The Lingxiao Palace suddenly emitted a deep, resonant sound as its core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but now it’s safe. I’ve altered its array structure with my spiritual power,” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. This massive celestial city was forged from Tianyuan Stone, and with it, they could craft numerous top-tier sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the First Heaven’s sky…
Xuan Kong’er scanned the area with his divine sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded! This is Tai Shang Lao Jun’s ten-sided ambush! In every direction, each dark cloud hides 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with numerous ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to overwhelming numbers. Now, the time for the decisive battle has come. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts,” Shui Miao replied, his mind racing as he flew into the celestial city.
Wenchang Emperor and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Coincidentally, I also need to forge artifacts,” Xuan Kong’er said with a cold smile, entering the Lingxiao Palace as well.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Ci’en Daoist suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around and snapped, “What else can we do? Originally, we had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which would have allowed us to smoothly alter the order of the Three Realms. But now, thanks to you, it’s gone. All we can do is fight. By the way, didn’t you say you were a disciple of Hongjun Daoist? Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go and talk to him! Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he listens to your preaching.”
“…” Ci’en Daoist was stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Do you think I’m that stupid? He didn’t take it to repair it; he took it to seize it.”
“You… you’re talking nonsense. My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot. If you have the guts, let your master come and destroy me directly.”
“…” Xuan Kong’er and Ci’en Daoist began to argue. Xuan Kong’er clearly had a short temper and little patience, and he didn’t trust Ci’en Daoist.
Ci’en Daoist, on the other hand, was stunned by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always thought his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed that Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk to him. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me,” Ci’en Daoist said, turning to leave. But then he remembered something and paused. “Also, my master said that if I die, he would come and destroy both of you.”
“What…” Ci’en Daoist, in a fit of anger, flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Xuan Kong’er, meanwhile, was momentarily stunned. Had Hongjun Daoist really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t overthink it. Calm down and let things take their course. Our strength is still weak. When we become strong enough, there will be no need to hold back,” Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed that Shui Miao had anticipated this all along! Indeed, Shui Miao was protected by the Purple Fortune Aura, so his decisions were always correct. Xuan Kong’er’s mind settled, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao immediately activated the Blue Cold Flame, melting the raw materials and forging a super-sized Hongyu Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Above the Lingxiao Palace, Ci’en Daoist channeled his magic and shouted at the top of his lungs. “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci’en, a new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me for a moment!”
The dark clouds around them immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Ci’en Daoist.
“Are you my junior brother, Ci’en?” The white-robed elder, with an immortal aura and a youthful face despite his white hair, was none other than Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Ci’en Daoist asked, slightly excited as he looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Seeing Ci’en Daoist’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun couldn’t help but frown. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master send you to be with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring prosperity to all living beings. I will tell you everything I know, and I hope you will act according to our master’s wishes.” With that, the innocent Ci’en Daoist transmitted all his knowledge to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean by that?” Ci’en Daoist was completely confused, unable to grasp the true meaning of Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“Nothing much. From now on, just listen to your senior brother. Our master had you form a bond with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust your senior brother, stand by my side, and together we will eliminate them, eradicating the threat once and for all, and bringing prosperity to the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind that swept Ci’en Daoist behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular flag and bellowed, “Attack!”
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm of Intent because the Realm of Intent was not safe either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them holding prestigious status and immense power. Staying in their own Realm of Intent was not an option, and it was better to have them out and about, lending a hand wherever possible.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, you say…”
Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin-based magical energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings in an instant. In just a moment, the Four Heavenly Kings dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They are all fake, mere spirit stone puppets crafted from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed, I heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in the art of forging. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and ordinary people would never be able to detect them. I was fooled just now as well.”
Daoist Ci’en felt somewhat embarrassed. To have failed on his first attempt, unable to even recognize the puppets crafted by his senior brother, how could he possibly make a name for himself in the future?
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and drag out Tai Shang Lao Jun, this mastermind behind the conspiracy.” Since the puppets were crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s thoughts shifted, and he immediately began to stir up the crowd.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Tai Shang Lao Jun dared to cause trouble right under my nose? How could I possibly swallow this insult? Xuan Kong’er’s eyes darted around, and he immediately shouted, “All of you, follow me. I’ll take the lead…” Xuan Kong’er had already reforged the acquired spiritual treasure he previously possessed, creating a new artifact called the Kong Ming Drum. With it, he directly teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had also changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, leaving only a massive and majestic golden palace.
Surrounding the palace were countless celestial soldiers and generals, all clad in shining armor, standing guard.
At that moment, numerous immortals were arriving from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, making their way into the palace.
Xuan Kong’er flashed to the palace entrance in an instant.
Shui Miao and the others quickly followed.
“Who goes there!?”
“How dare you barge into the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them…”
A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, noticing the sudden appearance of strangers with a strong aura of malevolence, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom…”
Xuan Kong’er struck the Kong Ming Drum a few times in the direction of the celestial soldiers and generals. Upon hearing the booming sounds, their bodies trembled, and then they all dissipated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were neither loud nor piercing, yet they possessed such power, which was truly unexpected.
Xuan Kong’er’s forging skills were exceptional, and he particularly enjoyed crafting puppets. Coupled with his previous confrontations with the Heavenly Court and his deep familiarity with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods, he was able to forge the Kong Ming Drum specifically designed to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Kong Ming Drum and began to strike it vigorously.
In an instant, all the celestial soldiers and generals surrounding the Lingxiao Palace dissipated.
Even the immortals who had arrived began to dissipate, as they were all puppets crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!”
Seeing Xuan Kong’er moving through the area as if it were empty, Shui Miao suddenly became alert.
Given Tai Shang Lao Jun’s cultivation, if he had truly hidden his strength and was indeed the mastermind behind all this, with his intelligence, he would surely have anticipated that everyone would come looking for trouble. Knowing that everyone would return, why would he still create so many puppets? Logically, there should be many genuine ancient immortals here. Could this be a trap?
Or perhaps, this Lingxiao Palace itself is a self-destructing artifact!?
Shui Miao’s thoughts raced, and he immediately focused his mind, probing the entire Lingxiao Palace with his spiritual senses.
Shui Miao could now harness the power of the Realm of Intent, and his ability to sense and probe had increased manifold.
As soon as his spiritual senses activated, Shui Miao detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was an enormous celestial city, with a vast and intricate destruction array hidden within. The structure and layout of the array were identical to the one he had used to forge his own destructive celestial artifact. Moreover, within the celestial city, there was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!”
Shui Miao’s mind stirred, and he immediately channeled his magical energy to alter the array’s layout.
Whenever Shui Miao forged an artifact, he always left a backdoor. If someone imitated or stole his artifact, he could use his spiritual power to instantly alter the array’s structure within the artifact, rendering it useless.
“Boom!”
The Lingxiao Palace suddenly emitted a deep, resonant sound as the core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but now it’s safe. I’ve altered its array structure with my spiritual power.” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. This massive celestial city was entirely forged from Tian Yuan Stone. With it, they could forge numerous top-tier sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!”
Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the sky surrounding the First Heaven…
Xuan Kong’er scanned the area with his spiritual senses and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded. This is Tai Shang Lao Jun’s ten-sided ambush! In every direction—east, west, south, and north—each dark cloud hides a hundred thousand celestial soldiers and generals, along with numerous ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to a human wave tactic. Now, the time for the final battle has come. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts.”
Shui Miao’s thoughts flashed, and he immediately flew into the celestial city.
Emperor Wenchang and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Coincidentally, I also need to forge artifacts.”
Xuan Kong’er gave a cold smile and also entered the Lingxiao Palace.
“Big brother, what should I do?”
Daoist Ci’en suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around and said irritably, “What else can we do? Originally, we had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which would have allowed us to smoothly alter the order of the Three Realms. But now, thanks to you, it’s gone. What else can we do but fight? By the way, didn’t you say you were a disciple of Hong Jun Dao Ren? Then Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Why don’t you go and talk to him? Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he listens to your preaching.”
“…”
Daoist Ci’en was momentarily stunned, feeling as if he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master cannot be wrong. If he took the Wheel of Reincarnation, it was because he needed to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? Even I, Xuan Kong’er, as foolish as I may be, can see through this. This isn’t about repairing; it’s about seizing.”
“You, you’re talking nonsense. My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot. If you have the guts, let your master come and destroy me directly.”
“…”
Xuan Kong’er and Daoist Ci’en began to argue. Xuan Kong’er clearly had a short temper and little patience, and he didn’t trust Daoist Ci’en.
Daoist Ci’en, however, was stunned by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words.
Daoist Ci’en had always believed that his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed that this big brother had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me.” Daoist Ci’en turned to leave but suddenly remembered something. He paused and quickly added, “Also, my master said that if I die, he would personally come and destroy both of you.”
“What…”
In a fit of anger, Daoist Ci’en flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Hong Jun Dao Ren really said such a thing!?
“Big brother, don’t overthink it. Calm your mind and let things take their course. Our current strength is still weak. When we become strong enough, there will be no need for restraint.”
Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed that Shui Miao had already anticipated this! Indeed, with the protection of the Purple Fortune Aura, Shui Miao’s decisions were always correct. Xuan Kong’er’s mind stirred, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before immediately entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence, and Shui Miao directly activated the Blue Cold Flame to smelt the raw materials, forging a super-sized Hong Yu Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!”
Above the Lingxiao Palace, Daoist Ci’en channeled his magical energy and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci’en, a new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and meet me, to have a few words!”
The surrounding dark clouds immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Daoist Ci’en.
“Are you my junior brother, Ci’en?”
The white-robed elder, with an immortal’s demeanor and a youthful face despite his white hair, was none other than the Heavenly Court’s foremost expert, Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Daoist Ci’en looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun with slight excitement.
Seeing Daoist Ci’en’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun couldn’t help but frown. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master have you stay with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, to restore order, and to bring blessings to all living beings. I’ll tell you everything I know, and I hope you’ll act according to our master’s wishes.” Innocently, Daoist Ci’en transmitted all his knowledge to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean by that?”
Daoist Ci’en was utterly confused, completely unable to grasp the true meaning behind Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“It’s nothing. From now on, just listen to your senior brother. Our master had you form a bond with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no reason for you to continue associating with them. If you trust your senior brother, stand by my side, and together we will eliminate them, eradicating the threat once and for all, bringing peace to the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind, sweeping Daoist Ci’en behind the ranks of the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular command flag and bellowed, “Attack!”
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because even the Realm Planet was not safe. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures; they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them holding prestigious statuses and immense power. Staying in their own Realm Planets was not an option, and it was better to have them out and about, lending a hand wherever possible.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly unleashed a powerful surge of yin-based magical energy, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings in an instant. In a flash, the Four Heavenly Kings dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They were all fakes, mere spirit stone puppets crafted from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed,” Ci’en Daoist chimed in, somewhat embarrassed. “I’ve heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in the art of forging. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and ordinary people would never be able to detect them. I was fooled just now as well.”
Ci’en Daoist felt a pang of shame. To be deceived by his senior brother’s puppets on his first attempt was a blow to his pride. How could he ever hope to make a name for himself if he couldn’t even see through such a ruse?
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and drag out Tai Shang Lao Jun, this mastermind behind it all,” Shui Miao declared. Since the puppets were crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s mind raced, and he immediately began to stir up the crowd.
Xuan Kong’er was equally eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun. “How dare he scheme right under my nose? I won’t let this slide,” Xuan Kong’er muttered, his eyes narrowing. “Everyone, follow me. I’ll take the lead.” Xuan Kong’er had already reforged the acquired spiritual treasures he once possessed, creating a new artifact called the Void Echo Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had changed. The once-familiar celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows upon rows of celestial soldiers and generals, their armor gleaming brightly.
At that moment, numerous immortals were converging from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, making their way into the palace.
Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following suit.
“Who goes there?!” a celestial soldier barked.
“Audacious! How dare you trespass into the Lingxiao Palace? Seize them!” A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, sensing the strong malevolent aura emanating from the intruders, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Void Echo Drum a few times. The celestial soldiers and generals, upon hearing the drumbeats, trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were neither loud nor piercing, yet their power was astonishing, catching everyone off guard.
Xuan Kong’er was a master forger, particularly fond of crafting puppets. Having previously opposed the Heavenly Court, he was well-versed in Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods. Thus, he had forged the Void Echo Drum specifically to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Void Echo Drum and began to strike it vigorously. In an instant, all the celestial soldiers and generals surrounding the Lingxiao Palace vanished. Even the immortals who had been approaching dissipated, for they too were puppets crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!” Shui Miao’s instincts flared as he watched Xuan Kong’er move unhindered. If Tai Shang Lao Jun, with his profound cultivation, was truly the mastermind behind all this, he would surely have anticipated their arrival. Knowing they would come, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many genuine ancient immortals. Could this be a trap? Or perhaps the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s mind raced as he focused his spirit, probing the interior of the Lingxiao Palace. With the power of the Realm Planet at his disposal, his ability to sense and explore had increased manifold.
As soon as his consciousness extended, Shui Miao detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was a colossal celestial city, with an immense destruction array hidden within. The layout and structure of the array were identical to the ones he used when forging destructive artifacts. Moreover, inside the city was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, they’ve copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao thought, immediately channeling his energy to alter the array’s layout. Shui Miao had always left a backdoor in every artifact he forged. If someone imitated or stole his creations, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array’s structure, rendering the artifact useless.
“Boom!” A deep, muffled roar echoed from the Lingxiao Palace as the core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but now it’s safe. I’ve altered its array structure,” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. This massive celestial city was forged from Tianyuan Stone, and with it, they could craft numerous supreme-grade sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the First Heaven’s sky.
Xuan Kong’er scanned the area with his divine sense and exclaimed, “We’re surrounded! This is Tai Shang Lao Jun’s ten-sided ambush! In every direction, each dark cloud hides 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with numerous ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to overwhelming numbers. The time for the final battle has come. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts,” Shui Miao replied, his mind racing as he flew into the celestial city.
Emperor Wenchang and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Perfect timing. I need to forge artifacts too,” Xuan Kong’er said with a cold smile, entering the palace as well.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Ci’en Daoist suddenly panicked, unsure of his role.
Xuan Kong’er turned to him, exasperated. “What else can you do? We had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which could have smoothly altered the order of the Three Realms, but you lost it. Now, all we can do is fight. By the way, didn’t you say you’re a disciple of Hongjun Daoist? Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go and talk to him! Have a nice chat with your senior brother and see if he’ll listen to your preaching.”
“…” Ci’en Daoist was stunned, feeling as though he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Even I, Xuan Kong’er, can see through this. He’s not repairing it; he’s seizing it.”
“You’re lying! My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you fool. If you’re so brave, let your master come and destroy me directly.”
“…”
Xuan Kong’er and Ci’en Daoist began to argue, with Xuan Kong’er clearly losing patience and distrusting Ci’en Daoist.
Ci’en Daoist was stunned by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always believed his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me,” Ci’en Daoist said, turning to leave. But then he remembered something and added, “Also, my master said that if I die, he would come and destroy both of you.”
“What?!” Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Hongjun Daoist really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t dwell on it. Calm down and let things take their course. We’re still weak now, but once we’re strong enough, there’ll be no need to hold back,” Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed Shui Miao had anticipated this all along. Indeed, with the protection of the Purple Destiny Aura, Shui Miao’s decisions were always sound. Xuan Kong’er’s mind settled, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao immediately summoned the Blue Cold Flame, melting the raw materials and forging a super-sized Cosmic Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Ci’en Daoist’s voice boomed from the sky above the Lingxiao Palace as he channeled his energy, shouting, “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci’en, a new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me!”
The dark clouds around them halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Ci’en Daoist. He was Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“So, you’re my junior brother, Ci’en?” the elder asked, his demeanor serene and immortal-like.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Ci’en Daoist asked, slightly excited.
Seeing Ci’en Daoist’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun frowned slightly. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master send you to be with them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring prosperity to all living beings. I’ve told you everything I know. Please act according to our master’s wishes,” Ci’en Daoist said, transmitting all his knowledge to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, then stroked his beard and chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean?” Ci’en Daoist was utterly confused, unable to grasp the true meaning of Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“Nothing. Just listen to me from now on. Our master had you join them to gather intelligence. Now that we’ve learned what we needed, there’s no need for you to stay with them. If you trust me, stand by my side, and together we’ll eliminate them, ensuring the safety and prosperity of the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind, sweeping Ci’en Daoist behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular banner and bellowed, “Attack!”
Naively, Ci’en conveyed all the information he had to Laozi through spiritual transmission.
After receiving the information, Laozi pondered gravely for a moment, then stroked his beard and chuckled, “I understand Master’s intentions now. Now, Ci’en, you can stand with me.”
Shui Miao did not bring everyone into the Realm Planet because it was not safe there either. Moreover, these individuals were no small figures—they were former city lords of the Heavenly Court, each of them highly esteemed and wielding immense power. It was not appropriate for them to stay confined within their own Realm Planets. Having them come out and lend a hand, even if just a little, was better.
“Hmph! The Four Heavenly Kings, is it?” Xuan Kong’er suddenly activated a powerful surge of Yin-based magic, enveloping the Four Heavenly Kings. In an instant, they dissipated into spiritual energy. “Haha, just as I suspected. They are all fakes, mere spirit stone puppets crafted from immortal spirit stones.”
“Indeed,” Ci’en Daoist chimed in, somewhat embarrassed. “I’ve heard from my master that Senior Brother Tai Shang is skilled in the art of forging. He creates puppets from spirit stones, and it’s nearly impossible for ordinary people to detect them. I was fooled just now as well.”
“Let’s head to the First Heaven and drag out Tai Shang Lao Jun, this mastermind behind the conspiracy,” Shui Miao suggested. Since the puppets were crafted by Tai Shang Lao Jun, Xuan Kong’er’s destruction of them would surely alert him. Shui Miao’s mind raced, and he immediately began to stir up the crowd.
Xuan Kong’er was also eager to capture Tai Shang Lao Jun. “How dare he scheme right under my nose? I won’t let this slide,” Xuan Kong’er muttered, his eyes narrowing. “Follow me, I’ll take the lead.” He had already reforged a piece of acquired spiritual treasure into a new artifact called the Kong Ming Drum. With a flash, he teleported to the First Heaven.
The First Heaven had changed. The previous celestial cities were gone, replaced by a massive, majestic golden palace. Surrounding the palace were rows of gleaming celestial soldiers and generals standing guard. At that moment, numerous immortals were converging from all directions, as if attending a grand feast, and were entering the palace.
Xuan Kong’er appeared directly at the palace entrance, with Shui Miao and the others quickly following.
“Who goes there?” a celestial soldier shouted.
“How dare you trespass into the Lingxiao Palace! Seize them!” A large group of celestial soldiers and generals, sensing the strong malevolent aura of the intruders, immediately surrounded them.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Xuan Kong’er struck the Kong Ming Drum a few times. The celestial soldiers and generals, upon hearing the drumbeats, trembled and then dissipated into nothingness.
The drumbeats were neither loud nor harsh, yet they had such devastating power, which took everyone by surprise. Xuan Kong’er was highly skilled in forging, particularly in creating puppets. Given his past conflicts with the Heavenly Court and his familiarity with Tai Shang Lao Jun’s methods, he had crafted the Kong Ming Drum specifically to counter Tai Shang Lao Jun’s puppets.
Next, Xuan Kong’er enlarged the Kong Ming Drum and began to beat it vigorously. Instantly, all the celestial soldiers and generals around the Lingxiao Palace vanished. Even the immortals who had been approaching dissipated, as they too were puppets forged by Tai Shang Lao Jun.
“Something’s not right!” Shui Miao’s heart suddenly grew wary. If Tai Shang Lao Jun, with his profound cultivation, had truly hidden his strength and was the mastermind behind all this, he would surely have anticipated their arrival. Knowing they would come, why would he create so many puppets? Logically, there should have been many genuine ancient immortals instead. Could this be a trap? Or perhaps the Lingxiao Palace itself was a self-destructing artifact?
Shui Miao’s mind raced as he focused his spirit, probing the entire Lingxiao Palace with his senses. Now capable of harnessing the power of the Realm Planet, his ability to sense and investigate had increased manifold. With just a thought, he detected the entire structure of the Lingxiao Palace. It was an enormous celestial city, with a massive destruction array hidden within. The layout of the array was eerily similar to the one he used to forge destructive artifacts. Moreover, inside the city, there was a room where Chong Yuanzi was imprisoned.
“Interesting, someone has copied my forging techniques!” Shui Miao thought, immediately activating his magic to alter the array’s layout. He always left a backdoor in every artifact he forged. If someone imitated or stole his creations, he could use his spiritual power to instantly change the array’s structure, rendering the artifact useless.
“Boom!” A deep rumble echoed from the Lingxiao Palace as its core array was destroyed by Shui Miao’s spiritual power.
“It’s done! The Lingxiao Palace was a self-destructing celestial city, but now it’s safe. I’ve altered its array structure with my spiritual power,” Shui Miao quickly relayed the message to Xuan Kong’er. The massive celestial city was forged from Tian Yuan Stone, and with it, they could create numerous top-tier sacred artifacts.
“It was a trap!” Xuan Kong’er hastily retreated.
At that moment, dark clouds began to rise from the depths of the First Heaven’s sky.
Xuan Kong’er scanned with his divine sense and was slightly startled. “We’re surrounded. This is Tai Shang Lao Jun’s ten-sided ambush! In every direction—east, west, north, and south—each dark cloud hides 100,000 celestial soldiers and generals, along with a multitude of ancient immortals. This time, they’re serious. Since the self-destructing celestial city failed to kill us, they’re resorting to overwhelming numbers. The final battle is upon us. Shui Miao, what’s your plan?”
“What else can we do? Give me some time to forge artifacts,” Shui Miao replied, his mind flashing as he flew into the celestial city.
Emperor Wenchang and the others quickly followed Shui Miao into the Lingxiao Palace.
“Coincidentally, I also need to forge artifacts,” Xuan Kong’er said with a cold smile, entering the palace as well.
“Big brother, what should I do?” Ci’en Daoist suddenly panicked, unsure of what to do.
Xuan Kong’er turned around, exasperated. “What else can we do? Originally, we had the Wheel of Reincarnation, which could have smoothly altered the order of the Three Realms. But now, thanks to you, it’s gone. All we can do is fight. By the way, didn’t you say you’re a disciple of Hongjun Daoist? Tai Shang Lao Jun is your senior brother. Go and talk to him! Have a good chat with your senior brother and see if he’ll listen to your preaching.”
“…” Ci’en Daoist was stunned, feeling as though he had made a grave mistake.
“No, my master couldn’t be wrong. He took the Wheel of Reincarnation to repair it…”
“Enough! If he wanted to repair it, he would have done so long ago. Why wait until now? Even I, Xuan Kong’er, as foolish as I may be, can see through this. He’s not repairing it; he’s seizing it.”
“You… you’re talking nonsense. My master is also your master. How can you slander him like this?”
“Get lost, you idiot. If you have the guts, let your master come and destroy me directly.”
“…”
Xuan Kong’er and Ci’en Daoist began to argue. Xuan Kong’er clearly had a short temper and little patience, and he didn’t trust Ci’en Daoist.
Ci’en Daoist, however, was shocked by Xuan Kong’er’s harsh words. He had always believed that his big brother would treat him well, but now it seemed that Xuan Kong’er had never truly considered him as one of their own.
“Fine, I’ll go and talk. I don’t believe my senior brother would kill me,” Ci’en Daoist said, turning to leave. But then he remembered something and paused. “Also, my master said that if I die, he would come and destroy both of you.”
“What…?”
In a fit of anger, Ci’en Daoist flew out of the Lingxiao Palace to meet Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Meanwhile, Xuan Kong’er was momentarily stunned. Had Hongjun Daoist really said such a thing?
“Big brother, don’t dwell on it. Calm your mind and let things take their course. We’re still weak now, but once we’re strong enough, there’ll be no need to hold back,” Shui Miao suddenly sent a mental message to Xuan Kong’er.
It seemed Shui Miao had already anticipated this. Indeed, with the protection of the Purple Fortune Aura, his decisions were always sound. Xuan Kong’er’s heart stirred, and he simply replied, “Alright,” before entering the Time Tower to reforge his artifacts.
Time was of the essence. Shui Miao directly activated the Blue Cold Flame, smelting the raw materials to forge a super Cosmic Chessboard.
“Stop! Everyone, stop!” Above the Lingxiao Palace, Ci’en Daoist, using his magic, shouted at the top of his lungs. “Senior Brother Tai Shang, I am Ci’en, the new disciple of our master. I beg you to come out and speak with me!”
The dark clouds around them immediately halted.
A white-robed elder suddenly appeared, standing before Ci’en Daoist.
“Are you my junior brother, Ci’en?” The white-robed elder, with an immortal aura and a youthful face despite his white hair, was none other than Tai Shang Lao Jun, the foremost expert of the Heavenly Court.
“Yes, are you my senior brother?” Ci’en Daoist asked, slightly excited as he looked at Tai Shang Lao Jun.
Seeing Ci’en Daoist’s naive expression, Tai Shang Lao Jun couldn’t help but frown. “Indeed, I am your senior brother. Why are you here? Why did our master have you accompany them?”
“Oh, senior brother, it’s like this. Our master sent us to the Heavenly Court to help reform the celestial realm, restore order, and bring blessings to all living beings. I’ve told you everything I know. Please act according to our master’s wishes,” Ci’en Daoist said, naively transmitting all his knowledge to Tai Shang Lao Jun through his thoughts.
After receiving the information, Tai Shang Lao Jun pondered for a moment, stroked his beard, and suddenly chuckled. “Junior brother, I understand our master’s intentions now. You can stand by my side from now on.”
“Uh… what?”
“Senior brother, what do you mean by that?”
Ci’en Daoist was utterly confused, unable to grasp the true meaning behind Tai Shang Lao Jun’s words.
“It’s nothing. From now on, just listen to your senior brother. Our master had you form a bond with them merely to gather intelligence. Now that we’ve learned what we needed, there’s no reason for you to stay with them. If you trust your senior brother, stand by my side, and together we’ll eliminate them, ensuring peace for the Three Realms and bringing blessings to all living beings.”
With a wave of his hand, Tai Shang Lao Jun summoned a gust of wind, sweeping Ci’en Daoist behind the celestial soldiers and generals.
Then, Tai Shang Lao Jun raised a red triangular flag and bellowed, “Attack!”
Ci’en was completely confused by Laozi’s words.
“Nothing much. From now on, just follow my orders. Master only had you sworn into their group to gather intelligence. Now that we have all the information we need, there’s no need for you to stay with them anymore. If you trust me, stand with me. Together, we will eliminate them once and for all and bring peace to the Three Realms.”
With a wave of his hand, Laozi summoned a powerful gust of wind that swept Ci’en behind the heavenly soldiers.
Then, Laozi raised a red triangular command flag in his hand and shouted with a deep voice, “Kill!”
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