The various plane warriors in the battlefield cried, because Jun Gou Sheng had returned after resolving his home matters. This time, to more rapidly expand the stronghold area, he began frantically searching for opportunities existing within.

Weapons, martial techniques, equipment, treasures, medicinal materials, ores—as long as they appeared on the treasure detector, as long as he locked onto them, they absolutely couldn’t escape.

This insanely aggressive searching resulted in many planes painstakingly confirming opportunities and arduously finding their way there, only to discover nothing but a licked-clean empty box.

“Gone!”

“Someone beat us to it!”

“Who is it!”

Every so often in the Plane Battlefield, at various opportunity sites, one could hear powerhouses’ heart-wrenching howls, voices revealing fury and grief.

Many powerhouses entering planes came for opportunities. Some people searched tirelessly for years, only to have others beat them to it—this was undoubtedly an extremely heavy blow.

“Although this Heavenly Heart Sacred Grass hasn’t matured yet, it can be ripened with the Heaven and Earth Treasure Nurturing Device.”

“This thousand-pound Meteor Spirit Stone—if there’s a professional craftsman, it can be used to forge many excellent weapons and equipment.”

“As for this Spiritual Qi Transforming Bull martial technique, Zuiji and Yuhua can practice it.”

Sitting in the great hall, Jun Changxiao carefully screened and distributed various opportunities recently found. Some he was even dissatisfied with, considering them lacking practical use.

Plane warriors became wildly joyful finding one opportunity—this fellow had so many he was getting picky. Truly comparing people was infuriating.

Having found so many opportunities, the Star Fall Continent stronghold had also expanded considerably, currently progressing from village scale toward town scale.

According to battlefield rules, newly entering planes that expanded their stronghold to town scale within five years completed their mission and gained free entry and exit rights.

As a result, warriors representing the Star Fall Continent hadn’t even entered yet and were still trembling in fear, yet their stronghold task was nearly complete—this was probably unprecedented.

“Swoosh!”

The terrain modification device flew out and was placed on the ground.

“Buzz buzz buzz!”

From nightfall to daybreak, the Star Fall Continent stronghold frequently trembled. A great mountain rose from flat ground.

“Boom!”

The next day, Xiao Zuiji lifted the mountain with both hands.

Jun Changxiao rapidly arranged a Five Elements Formation below, supporting it suspended in midair.

At this moment, in the Star Fall Continent stronghold, five mountains already floated, positioned in front-back-left-right staggered formation.

“My heavens!”

“Another mountain has risen!”

“How is this Star Fall Continent accomplishing this?”

Warriors several hundred li away occasionally passed by. Seeing another great mountain suspended at the visual horizon’s end, staggered with other mountains, constructing a spectacular scene of floating mountain clusters, their eyes all widened.

“When I passed by yesterday, there were clearly only four mountains. How did another one appear overnight after one night!” A warrior went crazy. If he hadn’t been firmly and unwaveringly practicing martial dao, he might have thought he was seeing ghosts!

Don’t be surprised, don’t be shocked.

Because… this was just the beginning!

To surpass those top-tier planes’ strongholds, Jun Changxiao continued working hard to search for opportunities, working hard to expand territory. So in the coming time, one mountain after another rose from flat ground, then suspended in midair.

…

Star Fall Continent.

To compensate for losses from Jun Gou Sheng’s extortion, the Demon Emperor Gate, after relocating to another forbidden zone, began frantically targeting righteous sects. In a short time, six or seven fourth and fifth-rate sects were destroyed.

Top-tier sects felt very helpless about this. Although they had united many sects, they still couldn’t find the Demon Emperor Gate’s hiding place and could only passively take beatings.

Due to the demonic path’s frequent harassment, the entire Star Fall Continent’s sky was shrouded in oppressive atmosphere. Many self-proclaimed righteous forces lived in fear, afraid that one day they’d be coldly eliminated.

This atmosphere infected the independent northeastern Lu Province, the air similarly containing oppressive qi.

Those places where sect disciples formerly often traveled or played now rarely saw people, quite resembling the feeling of snowflakes drifting, northern wind howling, heaven and earth a vast expanse.

The oppressive atmosphere could only be felt by warriors. Ordinary people on the ice plains still rose at sunrise and rested at sunset, living the most ordinary yet arduous lives.

In a remote small village.

Adults returning from hunting came back with full loads as children joyfully welcomed them.

“Wow, such a big fish!”

“It must have been caught by my dad!”

“Nonsense, it was definitely caught by my dad!”

The children argued until their faces turned red over a fish, causing those adults who had unloaded their catch and were drinking alcohol to warm themselves to roar with laughter.

“Come, come.”

A man approximately forty years old, large and sturdy, waved his hand. “Uncle Guo will tell you all stories today.”

He was the village hunting team captain and also the only person in the entire village who practiced martial dao. Although his strength was merely Opening Meridian Twelfth Stage, he was a war god in the children’s hearts.

“Uncle Guo!”

A child approximately ten years old said, “We want to hear stories about the Eternal Sect!”

“I knew you little rascals would want to hear this. Uncle Guo specially went to the city to inquire.” Uncle Guo laughed.

The children immediately became wildly joyful and crowded around.

“Sister Qiao!”

That ten-year-old child shouted toward a simple dwelling, “Uncle Guo is going to tell stories about the Eternal Sect. Come listen quickly!”

“Creak!”

The somewhat dilapidated door opened.

A woman wearing an apron, apparently busy with lunch, walked out.

She was approximately twenty years old. Although dressed plainly, her refined beauty was hard to conceal.

“Little Huzi.”

The woman said, “Uncle Guo just returned from hunting and still needs to rest. You all should quickly go play elsewhere and stop pestering him.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Uncle Guo laughed.

“…” The woman shook her head.

“Girl.”

Uncle Guo laughed, “This time I went to the city and inquired about many things regarding the Eternal Sect, including that person you’ve been longing for day and night.”

“Uncle Guo! Who is Sister Qiao’s person she longs for day and night?” the children asked curiously.

The woman’s face turned red.

Uncle Guo drank a mouthful of strong liquor and grinned. “This time, Uncle Guo will tell you all the story of the Eternal Sect participating in the Dragon-Tiger Hegemony!”

The children didn’t know what Dragon-Tiger Hegemony meant, but as long as it involved the Eternal Sect, they were definitely happy to listen.

“The story goes like this…” Uncle Guo recounted word for word the information he’d heard from outside.

The children listened entranced.

The woman also listened, especially hearing that person’s name, then joyfully thought, “Has he already become this strong?”

After the happiness came more disappointment.

He was Qingyang Commandery’s first genius and had joined the illustrious Eternal Sect. His future achievements were immeasurable. She was just an ordinary person—in the future, they were destined to have no further connection.

“Huh? Why is Sister Qiao crying?”

“I… I’m not…”

The woman hurriedly stood up and rushed back to her dwelling. “Uncle Guo must be starving. I’ll go cook right now.”

—