On the lake island.

  Lu, pondering the extremely complex chess game before him, suddenly furrowed his brows slightly.

  Looking up, he saw a streak of light rapidly descending over the vast sea—hands on hips, whisk flinging, stepping waves toward the island.

  "Brother Lu! Bad news!"

  Tonggu Daoist shouted while posing dramatically.

  Lu was stunned—not quite understanding what this Tonggu was up to now.

  Over the years, witnessing Tonggu's antics in the Five Phoenixes, Lu thoroughly understood: this quasi-saint from the human ancestral lands was a genuine... clown.

  He'd disguise as a beggar in random small cities, begging. Encounter talented youths: tail them, offer secret manuals for five steamed buns.

  Such incomprehensible bad taste left Lu torn between laughter and tears.

  But Lu admired Tonggu's mindset—a human quasi-saint living as beggar, enduring street glares.

  Tonggu unbothered.

  Lu thoughtful—perhaps soul layer practice. Tonggu's soul stronger than his.

  Such behavior: heart refinement.

  Outside lake island.

  Ning Zhao gracefully emerged—gentle smile.

  "Sister Ning Zhao, quick let me see Brother Lu—big trouble!"

  Tonggu said.

  Ning Zhao soft as water—beckoned: wine cup appeared.

  Tonggu smiled: "Sister Ning Zhao thoughtful—always wine."

  "Young Master's order." Ning Zhao smiled.

  "Right, sister—old Daoist no ill intent toward Brother Lu. Let me in direct—his old flame came, heading Buzhou Peak for Zhulong girl. Big deal!"

  Tonggu took cup, downed—said.

  Ning Zhao's gentle smile vanished.

  "Young Master's old flame?"

  "Yes."

  Tonggu wiped mouth: "Good wine—sister new brew? Another."

  "None."

  Ning Zhao darkened—turned directly.

  Tonggu baffled—face change so quick?

  But no overthink—entered island, straight pavilion.

  "Brother Lu."

  Tonggu saw chess-playing Lu—eyes brightened.

  "Your old flame here—heading Buzhou Peak for Zhulong girl."

  Tonggu hurried.

  Then winked gleaming: "That woman strong—if keep her: massive human boost. Brother Lu consider trading charm?"

  Lu speechless.

  "Speak properly."

  "What old flame?"

  Lu asked.

  "Black-White Empress... ruins that woman—rival human saints."

  Lu narrowed eyes—Black-White Empress?

  No wonder sensed powerful aura bypass time array, enter Five Phoenixes—she.

  Why?

  Seek Zhulong? Highly likely.

  Lu felt crisis...

  Zhulong his cherished little padded jacket.

  Tonggu saw Lu's changing expression—entangled complex, true emotion beneath: sentimental.

  Heh, men...

  "Brother—careful. Woman... powerful. See... pull to human camp?"

  "Truth: admire Brother Lu's ability. If old Daoist your looks: maximize asset..."

  Tonggu smiling said.

  This old Daoist what mean?

  Mean Lu Ping'an rely on charm?

  He Lu Ping'an that type?!

  Lu lips twitched—lazy argue.

  Mind stirred.

  Spatial truths surged—Thousand-Bladed Chair advanced, entered.

  She came knocking—Lu couldn't ignore.

  Meet her.

  Tonggu narrowed eyes—stepped Lu's spatial ripple, followed.

  ...

  Buzhou Peak summit.

  Zhulong lashes trembled—uncontrollably opened eyes, gazed below woman.

  Elegant noble, unique indescribable aura—Zhulong's aura uncontrollably influenced.

  Who?

  Zhulong blinked—brows furrowed, cold solemn.

  Unknown: inexplicable fear.

  But no overwhelming killing intent from woman—no malice toward her, even... gentle.

  Zhulong puzzled.

  Buzhou Peak base.

  Black-White Beast under Empress: suddenly straightened—big eyes confused surprised at summit girl Zhulong.

  Empress gracefully descended—stepped stone stairs.

  Long legs faintly visible slit skirt—she smiled.

  Bloodline connection undeniable. Zhulong Daluo entry: her will auto-appeared Zhulong's will space.

  Unexpected.

  Thus always sought Zhulong—finally found.

  Step by step ascending.

  Buzhou Peak vast pressure—but no threat to Empress.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Pre-Wood statue swallow injury: severed external links. Reconnected: sensed Zhulong—regretted delay.

  Feared girl wrong path—cultivation or otherwise.

  Whoosh...

  Suddenly.

  Opposite Buzhou Peak: Heavenly Dao Tree swayed.

  Branch whipped down.

  Snap!

  Terrific force on stone stairs.

  Empress long legs halted—graceful figure swayed. Head-down following beast suddenly roused—fierce pose, as if pleasing: offer bite tree.

  Empress turned—glanced Heavenly Dao Tree: vague face emerged.

  "Oh?"

  "Tree sealed person? Nearly fused?"

  Empress lips curved—interested.

  Gaze swept: tree swaying—guarding something.

  "Covet girl?"

  "Heh... rare visit his territory—no easy slaughter. Then: linger longer."

  Empress chuckled lightly.

  Slender fingers flicked.

  Terrific black-white energy entwined tree surroundings.

  Buzz...

  Heavenly Dao Tree seal reinforced.

  Near-breaking Li Sansi: tearful.

  Ruthless woman!

  Struggled: unbreakable—tree tighter.

  Or his power too weak vs her.

  Empress watched struggling tree—covered mouth laughed.

  Test willpower.

  If truly break: consider chance spirited youth.

  Then ignored Heavenly Dao Tree.

  Swayed posture—step by step summit.

  Speed unhurried—no instant peak. Mindset peaceful.

  Crisp footsteps echoed Buzhou Peak.

  Silence.

  Zhulong seated bluestone—quiet watched.

  Finally near summit: face clearer in Zhulong eyes—bloodline connection tighter.

  "You."

  Zhulong recalled aura, eyes.

  Her Daluo breakthrough: appeared will space, nearly disrupted.

  Unexpected here.

  Zhulong inexplicably tense, vigilant.

  Empress eyes gentle—ascended summit.

  Surveyed: small realm, bluestone—quiet, serene.

  Zhulong cross-legged bluestone—like autumn leaf serene, endearing pity.

  Empress sentimental—this girl lived ages, grew here.

  "Who you?"

  Zhulong asked.

  Empress no direct name.

  Elegant supreme aura—paced bluestone edge, side-sat leaning—black-white eyes gazed Zhulong.

  "Grown so big."

  "Good—no crooked, cultivation no wrong path. Nice..."

  Empress smiled—instant: summit spring bloomed.

  Raised hand—slender white tender fingers: gently stroke Zhulong head.

  Zhulong thought resist—but unknown why: no dodge.

  Allowed hand fall—stroke, caress.

  Unique secure feel spread Zhulong body.

  "Tell me your later stories."

  "Forget—I see myself."

  Empress said—intended ask, shook head self.

  Zhulong resisted her—she unconcerned.

  Came personally: see Zhulong, check well-being.

  Now well: satisfied.

  Falling leaf drifted.

  Empress two slender fingers clipped drifting leaf.

  Next: profound spirit fluctuation surged.

  Clipped leaf veins alive—trembled, weaving painting.

  Leaf particles scattered.

  Buzhou Peak summit: wind blew—vague scenes emerged.

  Scenes: Zhulong years summit life.

  Fast-forward playback.

  Empress stroked Zhulong—gazed scenes: innocent young Zhulong.

  Laughter, blood, slaughter...

  Zhulong growth not lonely.

  Long like movie end: Empress eyes softer.

  "Good—no great grievance here."

  Empress smiled.

  Zhulong watched woman—silent, but knew: no malice.

  Empress talked much with Zhulong.

  Like girlfriends late-night chat.

  Mostly Empress spoke—Zhulong quiet listened. Quiet girl by nature.

  Beast fluffy ball—drowsy ground, paw twitch: countless leaves gathered leaf quilt—covered fluffy body.

  Vs ruins dark lifeless: Buzhou Peak paradise for beast.

  Empress Zhulong chatting happily.

  Buzhou Peak distance: spatial truths spread.

  Lu figure emerged space—Thousand-Bladed Chair seated, white robes pristine ethereal immortal.

  Watched happily chatting Empress—no interrupt.

  Behind: Tonggu relieved.

  "Thought bad happen."

  "Like woman snatch Zhulong—professional thief."

  Tonggu serious.

  "Enough—let chat well."

  Lu no interrupt.

  Sensed—gazed Heavenly Dao Tree: Empress reinforced... Lu speechless.

  Now good—saint-level reinforced seal.

  Break: unknown when.

  But Li Sansi truly break: strength immense.

  Tonggu gossip-minded.

  Suddenly: waist jade pendant floated.

  Expression drastic change.

  Greeted Lu—hurried left, vanished.

  ...

  Ninth Heaven passage.

  Xuancang elder quiet sat—suddenly mind shook, terrifying oppressive aura approached.

  Brows furrowed—gazed afar, eyes lightning shot starry.

  Starry depths: brilliant aurora rapid approach.

  Aurora: immense pressure!

  Xuancang stood passage.

  "Divine-demons?!"

  Boom boom!

  Breaking air echoed.

  Dense fire starry burned—Fire Elemental God mountain-like body starry stepped—each step: aura shatter ancient stars.

  "Fire Elemental God!"

  "Fire Elemental Realm full assault?"

  Xuancang eyes contracted.

  Then scanned—Heavenly Eye extreme.

  Other directions ancient starry: Water, Wood, Metal, Earth Realms divine-demons traces.

  Xuancang chilled.

  "Exposed! Five Phoenixes position fully... even three statues perhaps."

  Xuancang immense oppression.

  Instant crushed waist jade talisman.

  Transmission talisman—link ancestral quasi-saints.

  Current: Xuancang must—five Elemental Realms full assault: what terror?

  Five Phoenixes perhaps annihilated before resist!

  "Mad!"

  Xuancang gritted teeth.

  Human saints deep starry guard—bought breathing room, divine-demons dare not full exterminate. But accident.

  Perhaps three statues: enraged divine-demons—crisis sense—no more breathing: assault.

  But Xuancang no regret.

  Statues human: rise foundation.

  Without: hard nurture strong—constant divine-demon suppress.

  Final: possible extermination.

  Now: powerful chance—divine-demons impatient, domineering erase humans.

  No regret possible.

  Only unwilling: humans insufficient strength.

  Because weak: divine-demons bully freely.

  Inhaled—Xuancang stood.

  Step by step out Ninth Heaven passage.

  Elemental Realms strong—but humans no pushover.

  Crushed talisman: soon Ninth Heaven assault message ancestral.

  Void summit seated Xiaoyaozi brows furrowed.

  Hand wave: starry scene emerged.

  "Fire Elemental Realm full assault... statues exposed?"

  Even Xiaoyaozi first thought.

  "Statues cannot return divine-demons... human rise root. Pressure return: human spine broken."

  "Cannot return."

  Xiaoyaozi eyes cold solemn.

  Next: vast spirit will dispersed.

  Buzz...

  Seven human quasi-saints void emerged—secluded or enlightening: all before Xiaoyaozi.

  "War imminent."

  "You four quasi-saints aid Xuancang, Tonggu... if overwhelmed: maintain saint grand array."

  "But cannot careless—ancestral key. I guard."

  Xiaoyaozi rapid orders.

  "Good."

  Named four no hesitate—agreed.

  Clear: current Five Phoenixes importance rival ancestral—three statues extraordinary.

  Plus Tonggu recent: saint ruin Five Phoenixes—soul layer cultivation.

  Shocked quasi-saints—soul elevation vital: second layer quasi-saint key.

  Many ancestral geniuses: 80% truths—but soul insufficient: no quasi-saint. Ruin true: ancestral myriad powerhouses.

  But ruin truth: verify needed.

  "We depart."

  Quasi-saints said.

  Xiaoyaozi solemn nod: "Victory return."

  "Victory."

  Four hearty laughed.

  Then tore void—crossed starry.

  Ancestral migrated: not far Five Phoenixes. Great divine ability: three days arrive.

  Xiaoyaozi watched vanished quasi-saints.

  Brow worry unrelieved.

  Glanced remaining three—gentle smile.

  "Next: guard ancestral burden you."

  Xiaoyaozi said.

  "Guard ancestral: all duty. Actually prefer Five Phoenixes—battle divine-demons."

  Female Daoist quasi-saint smiled.

  Xiaoyaozi nodded.

  "Ancestral saint peerless kill array guard—divine-demons dare not easy assault... main Five Phoenixes."

  One quasi-saint lamented.

  Indeed: current Five Phoenixes most dangerous.

  Xiaoyaozi felt so—but always wrong: invisible crisis shrouded.

  Gazed boundless starry—ancestral outer dead silent void: narrowed eyes.

  "Alert—Five Phoenixes important, but Primordial Immortal Domain too—cannot lose."

  Xiaoyaozi said.

  Stood starry—green robes flying.

  Time passed.

  Xiaoyaozi treasure mirror emerged—reflected Five Phoenixes battle: mind shifted Five Phoenixes war.

  ...

  Void.

  Massive bizarre beast floated—vast belly as if swallow sun moon.

  Beast belly: myriad divine-demons hovered.

  Gold, Wood, Earth, Water Elemental Gods—four gathered.

  "Ancestral quasi-saints dispatched four aid Five Phoenixes..."

  Wood Elemental God said—then silent.

  Planned Fire Realm army besiege Five Phoenixes—lure ancestral quasi-saints, create ancestral assault condition.

  Unexpected: so effective.

  Gold Elemental God expression odd.

  "Humans value this newborn Immortal Martial... too much?"

  "Perhaps unknown secret?"

  Gold said.

  "Perhaps Beast Ancestor statue there?"

  Water guessed—guess lit other Elemental Gods eyes: highly likely.

  "Regardless—if true Five Phoenixes: breach ancestral then turn Five Phoenixes. Statues... original assault purpose."

  Gold said.

  "Control Kun Realm Beast near ancestral—this Kun from chaos depths, emperor assault weapon. We hide belly—humans unless saint sense: impossible detect."

  "Near ancestral—unprepared, before Xiaoyaozi fully activate saint kill array: breach defense!"

  Words: Kun belly atmosphere grave.

  Boom!

  Starry.

  Beast like starry whale—leisurely toward Primordial Immortal Domain.

  Void seated Xiaoyaozi suddenly mind condensed.

  Looked up: Kun beast.

  Watched constant approach: faint wrong feel.

  "Starry beast?"

  "No—ancestral area: even quasi-saint starry beasts dare not near... issue!"

  Xiaoyaozi instant judged.

  Next hand flip—bronze small sword floated palm.

  "Saint Heaven-Slaying Array—activate!"

  Boom!

  But Xiaoyaozi reaction instant: Kun belly Elemental Gods eyes condensed.

  "Discovered! Kill!"

  Boom!

  Kun mouth sudden wide—like venting galaxy.

  Myriad divine-demons flew mouth—storm grew.

  Xiaoyaozi saw: eyes contracted.

  Treasure mirror view: mirror reflected divine-demon army—instant collapse when human quasi-saint aid arrived.

  Fire Elemental God like walking corpse—easily suppressed!

  "Fire Elemental God... puppet?!"

  "Feint east strike west?!"

  "Cunning divine-demons!"

  Xiaoyaozi roared rage.

  Whoosh whoosh!

  Light flashed—three human quasi-saints beside Xiaoyaozi.

  Four Elemental Gods already emerged—crossed starry.

  Myriad heavenly god-tiers: interwoven net shrouded ancient starry.

  Oppressive, stifling.

  Three human quasi-saints expressions ugly.

  Divine-demons silent near ancestral?

  Nearly hundred heavenly god-tiers, four Elemental Gods...

  Activate saint kill array before assault: difficult.

  Without array shelter: ancestral breached inevitable!

  Suddenly.

  Xiaoyaozi produced bag—threw one human quasi-saint.

  "Saint's 'Heaven-Earth Qiankun Bag'—refined top high-martial world inside. Sufficient carry current Primordial beings. You take bag—lead ancestral beings escape..."

  Xiaoyaozi instant said.

  That quasi-saint expression changed: "Xiaoyaozi—make me deserter?"

  "Not deserter—preserve human seed..."

  "They no give full array activation time—so we three block divine-demons. You carry human hope seed leave."

  "Leave where?"

  "Tonggu Xuancang Five Phoenixes... organized: survival chance."

  "Then: Five Phoenixes."