A green ox slowly ambled forward. Its coat was glossy — smooth as green silk — its frame stocky, robust and powerful, with a great head crowned by thick and rough, unpolished horns.
It came walking from the depths of the starry sky at a leisurely pace, drawing the startled attention of many onlookers. Its bearing and composure were enough to make clear that it was no ordinary creature.
Upon it sat an elderly man: slender-faced and refined in appearance, with a broad, full forehead and clear, bright eyes. Utterly detached from the world, his body untouched by the dust of the mortal realm.
The assembled sages found it difficult to discern his cultivation level. Only the old patriarch of the Scarlet Phoenix Mountain and others — with eyes that opened and closed in flickers of profound light — looked deeply and perceived something significant.
A powerful figure!
And moreover, one that people dared not provoke lightly — a peerless powerhouse!
Ordinary cultivators could not gauge the old man’s depth, but they could glean something from his mount. All eyes fixed on that powerfully built green ox.
“A saint-level ox!”
Everyone drew a sharp breath. A riding mount at the level of a saint — this was truly shocking to the world. All the assembled sages present showed expressions of surprise.
If even the mount was like this, could the master be anything less? Absolutely an astonishing background — either a Great Saint, or something close to one. Otherwise, how could a saint-level ox ever be subdued?
“You are… Niu Yi — truly… is it you, Yi’er!?” Suddenly, an elder saint of the Great Force Bull Demon Clan shuddered, shaking his enormous bull head, and opened his eyes — fixing them on the figure approaching from afar with a look of utter disbelief.
“Niu Yi… it’s him! He disappeared two thousand years ago, and now he has actually become a saint!” Another person from the Great Force Bull Demon Clan cried out in astonishment, clearly very shocked.
Two old bulls in such a state of distress naturally caused a sensation. Every cultivator beyond the domain opened their eyes wide, staring at the man and ox approaching from the depths of the starry sky.
Who was this person — and what manner of background did he have, that two thousand years ago, before the ancient clans had even emerged, he had already subdued a powerful figure from the Bull Demon Clan?
“Moo…” The green ox let out a lowing sound, projecting it outward through spiritual consciousness. A wild, primordial aura swept across the starry sky.
“My respects to you, Grand Uncle.” The green ox nodded in greeting toward the elder bulls, visibly moved as well.
“Who is he — why have you become his mount? Where have you been all these years?” The two old bulls fixed their gazes on the elderly man, their expressions unfriendly as they questioned Niu Yi. Their aggressive aura was dense and heavy — clearly implying that one wrong word would lead to an immediate confrontation.
“Two thousand years ago, after I awoke from dormancy, I left the Bull Demon Cave…” Niu Yi explained, asking them not to be angry.
In those days, Niu Yi had been young and weak — considered little more than a “young calf” — unable to endure the solitude and emerging prematurely from seclusion. He had encountered a sage, and now returned having already become a saint.
After an exchange of whispered words, the killing intent of the two old Bull Demons faded — but they still regarded the refined elderly man with unfriendly eyes, for no matter how they pleaded, Niu Yi had no wish to return to the clan.
“Fellow Daoist, where do you come from, and how shall we address you?” an elder saint-king of the Fire Kylin Cave spoke up, narrowing his eyes, genuinely perceiving the extraordinary power of the man before him.
“This old one is Yin Xi, passing through this place with no other purpose,” the elderly man replied with a mild smile — gentle and composed.
Had Ye Fan been present, he would certainly have been greatly astonished. This was a man from the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China — and his true self had now appeared in the Northern Dipper Star Domain.
Yin Xi had arrived on the ox, naturally influenced by his own master. This lineage was serene and transcendent, removed from worldly affairs, advocating that the Dao followed the ways of nature, with a heart that was still and free of striving.
Many cultivators were astonished. This was undoubtedly a powerful human powerhouse from beyond the domain. It seemed that humanity in the deeper reaches of the starry sky was not weak in the slightest — a figure to be reckoned with.
“Has Fellow Daoist also come for the immortal path?” an elder saint of the Scarlet Phoenix Mountain asked.
“To break through the heavenly path — we cultivators seek only to become immortal. This old one is no exception.” Yin Xi did not conceal this, speaking with frank candor.
In truth, which among those who had come from beyond the domain was not here for the immortal path? It was plain to see — and surely even more would come in the days ahead.
Whether human or from the ancient clans, none were willing to make enemies of outside cultivators for no reason — especially not a remarkable ancient saint such as this.
“If the immortal path opens, the heavens and earth will surely fall into chaos. With all saints rising together, once this old one has concluded his affairs here, he also intends to make a return journey to the homeland — to guard Hangu Pass. Farewell to all.” With these words, Yin Xi rode his ox into the distance, slowly fading away beneath the starlight as he descended into the source of life below.
When Ye Fan heard this account, his jaw dropped. He rushed to the outer domain at once, then pursued into the great wilderness, searching for Yin Xi — this ancient figure from the other shore of the starry sky.
No matter what he had expected, this extraordinary figure appearing at such a time had never entered his imagination. The sage who once kept watch at Hangu Pass — appearing in the Northern Dipper Star Domain.
“With the path of immortalization on the verge of opening, will other ancient figures from Earth appear as well?” Ye Fan murmured to himself.
He searched the land far and wide, but found no trace of Yin Xi — no way of detecting where he had gone.
Ye Fan knew that a great calamity was approaching. The immortal path could truly exist — for otherwise, why would a figure of Yin Xi’s stature appear?
“He said he will eventually go to guard Hangu Pass — what will happen there? When the immortal path opens, will there be a war unlike any before it?”
Even before now, Ye Fan had known that living beings from the Feathered Immortal Star and other ancient domains had once attacked ancient China along an ancient road. Would that happen again in the future?
The immortal gate disappeared and was seen no more. A killing calamity came to its conclusion — leaving many saints shaken and deeply alarmed.
People came to a profound realization of how brutal the competition for the immortal path would be. A single powerhouse from beyond the domain appearing had already stirred up such tremendous waves. What manner of slaughter would the future bring?
The immortal path had yet to open — and yet the assembled saints seemed already to see before them rivers of blood and mountains of bone. It would surely be incomparably brutal.
“Someone is already moving to clear the field. In the end, how many will survive? The Northern Dipper Star Domain might very well be shattered and cease to exist because of this.”
The road ahead was unknown — filling people with uncertainty, with fear in their hearts. The terrible great age of ten thousand generations — arriving at last — would surely make human life cheaper than grass. The immortal path would be dyed in blood.
During this period, undercurrents surged in the shadows.
The Golden Crow Clan of the Fire Mulberry Star, the divine clan of the Heavenly Communication Star — and many wandering cultivators from beyond the domain — had appeared one after another, making the Northern Dipper increasingly complex and turbulent.
Furthermore, mysterious ancient vestiges had appeared from beyond the domain. Powerful figures had arrived and installed their palace halls in the starry sky, not yet descending in their true forms.
The atmosphere in the Northern Dipper was growing tenser and tenser — suffocating to experience. This period of time felt like the calm before the tempest!
Every clan was anxious. Every Dao-Severing cultivator yearned to attain sainthood — for only by doing so could one hold even a single place in the coming great upheaval of the world, with any hope of contending for the opportunity to become immortal.
“How can this be — the two Elder Ancestor-Slayers have just… disappeared like this…”
From within the divine spirit minor realm, inside the palace built of white bone, a scream came from within the most ancient hall — full of unwillingness, as killing intent pierced through the nine heavens.
“It cannot be — the Ancestor-Slayers do not die. They will reappear. Not even Great Saints can do anything to them!”
The bone hall shuddered. The skulls of those with unique constitutions, the withered bones of saints — all shone with crystalline radiance. Two Saint-Slaying Sages radiated killing intent like a surging ocean.
In the Southern Ranges, before the Demon Emperor’s Palace, a solitary figure stood with their back to the ancient hall, gazing up at the starry sky, and said: “Will the immortal path truly appear? In a few years, or a few hundred years — how many will die upon that solitary blood-soaked road?”
In the Western Wastelands, atop Mount Sumeru, an old monk also looked to the sky and communed with the Dao through his heart. The entire Thunderclap Temple was solemn and dignified, sacred and serene.
The situation was growing increasingly complex, filling cultivators with anxiety. People did not know the road ahead, could not clearly judge the future — and even the hearts of all the saints were unsettled.
During this time, the seven great life forbidden zones had been very quiet — nothing particularly notable had occurred. Yet the more calm and peaceful things seemed, the more oppressive the atmosphere felt.
“Ha ha ha, it’s going to succeed — it’s finally going to be refined!” The Great Black Dog bared a set of brilliantly white teeth stretching all the way to his ears, his entire face wearing an expression of gleeful cunning and delight.
Long Ma’s great eyes were wide and round, its whole body radiating the auspicious light of a divine beast — dragon scales gleaming, flames blazing to the sky — as it waited in anticipation.
The Village of Heaven was serene and peaceful. Its people had not felt the tension of the outside world. They were filled with the joy of a harvest — for the precious medicine was on the verge of completion.
“There’s no longer any need to worry about failure. The dragon vein fire essence and other things can be extinguished now — just maintain a gentle warmth for the final two days, and the evolution liquid will be ready to come out of the furnace.”
The Saint-Slaying Sage Qi Luo spoke, her brow finally smoothing out. After months of vigilant guardianship, she could now at last let out a long breath of relief.
This bore the hopes of the Heavenly Court’s future — it would allow the young generation to shed the old and be reborn, and their battle power would soar, their strength greatly elevated. She could already see the scene of the Heavenly Court’s resurgence.
The cauldron rose and fell. Immortal energy enveloped it. All manner of phenomena manifested in profusion, displaying ten thousand different marvels — virtually defying the natural order of things. Creatures as though from a divine myth surrounded it.
Dragon and phoenix singing in harmony, white tiger leaping to the heavens, black tortoise rising from the sea, divine beings soaring across the ninth heaven, human-shaped life forms ascending in a blaze of rosy light… Auspicious radiance in sheets and layers of iridescent splendor completely submerged the cauldron, clustered at its center.
Only two more days were needed before the medicine furnace could be opened — and the evolution precious liquid taken out!
Some of the elders of the Village of Heaven were very old — living classics, like ancient scriptures. At this moment, their deeply wrinkled faces broke into smiles, and they murmured softly to themselves — as though in prayer.
They had waited many long years, hoping for the Heavenly Court to grow strong and restore its former glory. Nearly a lifetime had passed. Their bodies could barely hold on any longer — and yet now, at last, they saw the dawn of a new day.
“Grandpa Tianqi, your eyes have tears in them,” Xiao Que’er said, gently wiping them for the old man.
“Grandpa is very happy — this day has finally come,” the old man Tianqi said.
The other elders were the same. Unlike Qi Luo, they had not become saints. They were in the twilight of their years — their hair nearly all fallen out.
Yan Yixi was also present, supporting two of the elderly men, showing them great respect. Since coming to the Village of Heaven, he had often played chess with the elders and received their guidance — a great benefit to him.
“With the Heavenly Court reestablished, it shall surely flourish greatly. Even if we were to die right now, we would have no regrets.” The several elders trembled as they spoke, their voices filled with emotion, tears nearly streaming down their weathered faces.
“Heh — is that so? Then I’ll make sure you all die with regrets. This venerable one will send every last one of you on your way!”
Killing intent descended without warning, sweeping across the entire Village of Heaven. Ancient sacred might flooded down from above, overwhelming and vast.
The several elders, Xiao Que’er, Yan Yixi, and others instantly spat out mouthfuls of blood. Their five organs were cracked, their bodies on the verge of shattering — and they were driven back in rapid succession.
BOOM!
In the span of a lightning-spark’s flash, the Saint-Slaying Sage Qi Luo stomped down upon the word-formula movement technique — as though time were flowing in reverse — transforming into a bolt of lightning that intercepted the blow, blocking the Ancient Sacred might head-on.
“What a great fortune you have gifted us! You have been hard at work for so long, and the evolution precious liquid is finally refined. We have come especially to claim it — and you may now take your leave!”
Another Saint-Slaying Sage appeared, laughing coldly — his voice bone-chillingly cold. He extended a great hand toward the Myriad Life Mother Qi Cauldron and seized toward it.