Cold wills communicated, filled with deep dread toward Lu Xuan’s power, yet also bearing a ruthless calculation to use the wrath of the Foreign Land to probe and exhaust him. They tacitly allowed, and even secretly drove forward, the Foreign Land’s storm of vengeance, like hunters in the shadows waiting for the perfect moment.
In the end, the Foreign Land’s immortal halls made their response.
A blood-colored decree, spanning a stellar region of hundreds of millions of li and condensed from countless shattered Immortal King laws and pure will of destruction, erupted with a thunderous roar from the core of the Foreign Land.
It ignored the distance of space. Like a bloodstained challenge letter, it was projected in an instant to the edge of the Realm Sea, beyond the barriers of the Immortal Domain, and even sent tremors through the broken starry sky of the Primal Ancient Realm.
Upon the decree were only runes twisted like billions of wronged souls struggling, conveying the most direct will:
“Execute—Lu—Xuan!!!”
“Destroy—the—Immortal—Domain!!!”
“Blood—debts—paid—in—blood!!!”
Every character contained overflowing killing intent and a curse of undying enmity, causing the souls of all living beings across the heavens who sensed it to tremble.
This was not merely a declaration of war, but the Foreign Land’s oath of vengeance with all its might.
It foretold that even more terrifying, even more tragic tempests would come in the future.
All of it had been thoroughly ignited by Lu Xuan’s glorious battle achievements.
While Lu Xuan’s name became the symbol of the Immortal Domain’s protection and the savior of the ancient realm, it also became the Foreign Land’s irreconcilable mortal enemy.
At the other end of the Realm Sea, in the Immortal Domain and the Primal Ancient Realm.
The lingering echoes of the victory celebrations had yet to fully disperse, but an invisible sense of urgency had already descended.
Lu Xuan stood alone atop the Fusang ancient tree in the Golden Crow clan’s territory, now revived with new vitality.
The Chaos Bell hovered above his head, trembling faintly, cleansing the curses and resentment that attempted to seep over after the fall of the Foreign Land’s giants.
His gaze was profound, passing through endless space as though he had seen the seething hatred of the Foreign Land and the cold scrutiny from deep within the Ancient Hall of Guidance.
“A catalyst of hatred… indeed.”
He murmured to himself. Chaotic qi circulated in his eyes, reflecting scenes of heaven and earth being split open.
“Next time, it won’t be just a few giants who come.”
“Your Majesty.”
The old Golden Crow King appeared behind him, his expression respectful yet laced with worry.
“The Foreign Land is in turmoil. The aura of darkness is surging violently on the far shore of the Realm Sea. There may be a great change. We…”
“No matter.” Lu Xuan raised a hand, stopping his words.
“When soldiers come, we meet them. They need time to accumulate strength, and so do we.”
He turned, his gaze sweeping across the elites of the clan below, who were currently rehearsing the “Ten Suns Golden Crow Grand Formation.”
Ten illusory great suns rose and fell within the formation, radiating scorching heat and light capable of incinerating the heavens. Its power had advanced even further compared to the time of the great battle.
“Pass down my order. The grand formation’s drills must not slacken for even a single day. In addition, open a portion of the Sun Ancient Grotto secret realm. Any clan disciple who has rendered merit may enter to cultivate and comprehend the origin of the sun.”
“Yes!”
The old Golden Crow King’s spirits lifted, and he left to carry out the order.
At the same time, the alliance between the Primal Ancient Realm and the Immortal Domain was also being consolidated at full speed.
The Primal Ancient Realm, Central Heavenly Palace.
Ancient realm leaders such as Immortal King Wuzhong and the Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King, together with Immortal Domain reinforcements such as King Pan and Immortal King Hunyuan.
As well as the Realm Sea powerhouses who had descended from the heavens—the Heavenly Sword Immortal King, Daoist Immortal Gold, and Second Under Heaven—were gathered together.
Though the atmosphere had eased because of their victory, everyone knew clearly that the crisis had not been resolved.
“The Foreign Land suffered disastrous losses this time. Given their nature, they will absolutely never let this go.”
Immortal King Wuzhong spoke, his voice carrying a trace of weakness that had yet to heal after the war, but his gaze remained wise and resolute.
“Fellow Daoist Lu is indeed powerful and can seal the Primal Gate, but the darkness on the far shore of the Realm Sea is unfathomable.”
The Six Paths Reincarnation Immortal King nodded. Six black holes slowly revolved around him. “Within reincarnation, I sensed a great terror stirring in its slumber. The Foreign Land’s fury may only be the prelude.”
The Heavenly Sword Immortal King held an ancient sword in his arms, sword qi fierce and awe-inspiring. “When soldiers come, we meet them. Since we have already formed an alliance, we should advance and retreat together. Within the Realm Sea, there are also quite a few fellow daoists who deeply loathe the source of darkness. We may be able to contact them.”
Daoist Immortal Gold and Second Under Heaven also voiced their agreement. Having returned from the Realm Sea, they understood well the strangeness of that region and the threat posed by the darkness.
King Pan and Immortal King Hunyuan exchanged a glance before King Pan spoke. “Within the Immortal Domain, after this battle, attitudes toward Fellow Daoist Lu… and toward the Golden Crow clan have already changed greatly for the better. But there are still some who harbor fear and suspicion. Perhaps we can use this alliance as an opportunity to further integrate the Immortal Domain’s strength.”
Under the shared threat, the bond of the alliance became even more solid.
The exchange of resources, cultivation methods, and intelligence began to accelerate. A vast war machine spanning the Immortal Domain, the ancient realm, and even connecting the powerhouses of the Realm Sea began to operate quietly.
The Realm Sea, an unknown dimension.
The Primal Gate, sealed by Lu Xuan through the “Chaos Return-to-Origin Seal” combined with the power of the Chaos Bell, had now completely “vanished” from the river of time and space and the lines of karma.
Even an Immortal King giant, if they did not know its exact coordinates in advance and sense it through a special method, would find it nearly impossible to discover its existence.
However, within the absolute void and seal, the gate itself seemed to retain a trace of imperceptible spirituality—or rather, a ripple of power beyond the understanding of Immortal Kings connected to what lay behind the gate.
This ripple was extremely faint, almost negligible, yet under the isolation of the seal, it produced a strange “resonance,” silently spreading toward the deepest and darkest corners of the Realm Sea.
There was an absolute forbidden zone that even dark giants were unwilling to set foot in lightly. It was the core source of the Ancient Hall of Guidance’s power, the ultimate place where, according to legend, the secrets of the Emperor Fall Era were buried.
A wisp of indistinct will, like a ferocious beast that had slept through ten thousand ages, moved ever so slightly when this strange “resonance” ripple brushed past.
The Golden Crow clan’s territory, secluded cultivation chamber.
Lu Xuan sat cross-legged. The Chaos Bell hovered before him, and on its bell wall appeared scenes of the sun, moon, and stars, with earth, water, fire, and wind revolving around them. Even the supreme Dao charm of heaven and earth being split open flowed across it.
He was digesting the gains from the successive great battles, especially his life-and-death struggle against the Imperial Light Immortal King, the Saber King.
As well as the ultimate insights he had gained when unleashing “Chaos Splits the Heavens” during his final solitary battle against the three great dark giants.
His aura was continuously condensing and sublimating. Though his realm still remained at the level of an Immortal King giant.
The power contained within his body, as well as his mastery over the Great Dao of Chaos and the origin of the sun, were advancing toward an even more profound and unfathomable state.
The inheritance of Donghuang Taiyi was further unsealed deep within his consciousness. More of the Chaos Bell’s wondrous uses, more secrets regarding how to derive all laws from chaos, and how to truly touch that supreme realm of “splitting the heavens with a single thought,” slowly flowed through his heart.
“The Foreign Land’s retaliation, the darkness’s spying… power. I still need even greater power.”
Lu Xuan opened his eyes. Within them, chaos opened, and scenes of universes being born and destroyed flashed past.
He sensed that faint malice and gaze coming from the end of the Realm Sea.
He also vaguely perceived that unusual “ripple” from the sealed Primal Gate.
The storm had not ended. The calm before his eyes was merely the interval before the next, and even greater, catastrophe arrived.