A single golden divine feather — representing a wisp of a Quasi-Emperor’s aura. Though it might be called the merest trifle of such a being, it was still something capable of shaking heaven and earth. An opposing ancient saint would ordinarily not dare to casually touch it.
God’s expression remained as immovable as frost that had endured since the beginning of time — no joy, no sorrow, no anger, no happiness, only cold indifference. With two fingers pinching the feather, God examined it again and again.
Far off, the colossus was overwhelmed with terror. Its body shook — it was the divine guardian beast of the Four Symbols Sacred Ground, and had just witnessed the Golden Crow’s death. It turned and fled without hesitation.
It had never felt such fear before. Only in the age of antiquity had it once laid eyes upon a similarly dreadful man. It knew beyond all doubt that it could not oppose this one.
“Whoosh!”
The white-haired figure flicked a wrist. The golden divine feather shot outward, slicing through the air. The archaic colossus let out a great cry; its immense body unleashed limitless chains of divine order, and every ancient weapon it possessed surged forward.
The outcome could not be changed. A bloom of blood burst forth. The feather pierced through the colossus’s skull; its primordial spirit was slain.
A wail that shook the earth rang out — its unwillingness boundless — but the light faded from its eyes, turning a dull and ashen gray. Like a great mountain toppling, like a jade pillar crashing down, it slammed into the dust.
“Ah…”
At the same moment, a second cry rang out. Not far away, another saint was pierced through the frontal bone by the golden feather, falling backward into a pool of blood.
A single flick of one golden feather — two saints dead simultaneously. The white-haired man’s expression did not change. Calm as still water, it was as though an utterly trivial thing had been done.
“There is no Quasi-Emperor divine weapon here, nor any other sacred treasure. What exists is only grief and sorrow. I do not wish for anyone to come here and disturb this place.” God spoke coldly, the voice reverberating across the desolate dead star’s expanse.
With that, they shot skyward, disappearing into the star region, transforming into a bolt of lightning and hurtling toward the depths of the cosmos — in the direction of the Big Dipper.
To look carefully was to feel a chill run down one’s spine. This was a speed beyond all extremity!
Appearing and vanishing by turns, the figure grew ever more indistinct, until at last, the physical body tore open the very fabric of the universe and plunged into the cold and dark unknown.
Just how powerful was this person? It was impossible to gauge, for God had not released their own fundamental aura.
Yet judging solely from the fact that a single strike had casually slain several ancient saints, their strength was undeniably something to inspire awe — and they could traverse the cosmos under their own power.
“A God — danger rating: five stars!”
Ye Fan watched that retreating figure and fell into deep thought. The Big Dipper was truly about to descend into chaos. All manner of heaven-defying and mysterious figures were converging upon it. What lay ahead would inevitably be a world-shaking great battle.
It would be the most terrifying domain of chaos across the entire star region. Who could say how much blood would be spilled, how many white bones would pile up, how many people would die.
A black stone disc appeared — its patterns mottled and ancient, blood flowing across its surface. It spread open a domain gate. Two black-robed figures stepped out, descending upon the dead star.
Before long they discovered the great tomb, explored for a time, and found nothing. The great tomb was filled with countless bones; death energy ran thick, but no divine weapon lay within.
Ye Fan let out a sigh. The Quasi-Emperor had failed to prove his Dao. Perhaps something precious had indeed been left behind — but it had long since been taken away by someone else.
And that figure called God had clearly shared a deep connection with this star. Otherwise, why protect the great tomb with such dedication — passing through this place and making a point to pay respects?
“God — if I set foot on the ancient road of the greatest trial, perhaps I will encounter them again.” Ye Fan murmured to himself.
The universe was vast; the stars were boundless; the stars beyond number — and yet living ancient domains were exceedingly rare, nearly impossible to find.
Ye Fan had traversed countless star regions, searching carefully and meticulously. Not only could he not find a single living star — he could not even find a place that had once shown a trace of life.
Had he not encountered the sages from beyond the domain and known with certainty of several living ancient domains — Fire Mulberry, Heavenspanning, Gouchen, Soaring Immortal, and others — he truly would have doubted whether the universe was nothing but Desolate emptiness.
Some twenty-odd days later, a vast and boundless star radiating an overwhelming life force surged from deep within a star region, signaling that Ye Fan had once again descended into the Eternal Star Domain.
After an absence of several months, Ye Fan had returned once more to Eternal Main Star. He felt a distinctly unusual atmosphere — the great clans were all mobilizing for war.
Heavenly Origin City was the most renowned main city on Eternal Main Star, situated within the central ancestral land. Dragon ridges rippled around it on all sides, majestic and spectacular, with dragon energy rising and coiling upward.
In the western half of the city, tall buildings and skyscrapers stood row upon row, one towering structure after another piercing the clouds — a thoroughly modern atmosphere, with spacecraft taking off and landing at frequent intervals.
Yet in the eastern half of Heavenly Origin City, the scene was entirely different. Grand ceremonial gateways, ancient and dignified palace halls — like an ancient imperial city. Numerous structures floated in the air, suspended within the upper heavens. This was a great city where the modern and the classical fused into one, its population numbering in the tens of millions.
“The Divine Blue Fortress will be holding a grand auction tonight. Sacred beast blood will be offered for sale — priceless in value. A single purchase could elevate the overall strength of an entire family by a tremendous margin.”
“Hmm, truly tempting. That is a sacred beast — by extracting the divinity and sacred power from its bloodline, an entire clan’s bloodline can be strengthened many times over.”
Before a certain ancient fortress in the eastern district, a crowd had gathered. A massive advertisement board stood there, its screen broadcasting the items to be auctioned.
The streets were broad and open. Ye Fan made his way along the ancient stone path toward the front, observing carefully for a while — his expression growing distinctly peculiar. The sacred beast blood being auctioned by the Divine Blue Fortress actually originated from the ancient clans. That individual had been an Ancestral King — slain during the previous battle. Simply because he had grown a pair of deer antlers and stood a head taller than an ordinary human, he had been classified as a sacred beast.
The arrogance and self-assurance of Eternal Main Star’s inhabitants was plain to see — they had reduced a genuine Ancestral King of his era to the status of a wild animal.
An Ancestral King of the Big Dipper — a figure held in the highest regard — had met such an end. It was a kind of tragedy. Not long before, the powerhouses who had ventured ahead to explore had initially achieved great victories, sweeping all before them — only for two days later to see peerless experts emerge and cut them down one after another.
“Hmm, speaking of which, that Demon God and his Indestructible Golden Body are truly despicable. The Big Dipper is overrun with wild beasts; sacred beasts are everywhere — it is a terrifying place. And yet they staged such an underhanded trap, luring the people of Eternal Main Star into a snare.”
“Indeed. In the end those sacred beasts launched an assault. It was fortunate that the Holy One Luan Feng intervened — otherwise it truly would have been a blood catastrophe.”
“That place called the Big Dipper is very dangerous. According to the divine sense searches conducted there, it was discovered that even higher-rank sacred beasts are present. They might well launch an attack here.”
“Do they think Eternal Main Star has no capable people? Did not Holy One Luan Feng and several other peerless powerhouses declare it? In time, that place will become a hunting ground for those with aspirations of proving their Dao — an inexhaustible source of sacred beast resources.”
“That is merely a form of encouragement, to inspire future generations to rise up. Who can prove their Dao? Who can become a being like the gods of old?”
Ye Fan listened to the people’s discussion and gradually came to understand some of the fallout from that battle. Its conclusion had left the people of Eternal Main Star alert and humbled — no longer as arrogant as before.
He walked along the main street ahead, and came upon several more auction houses of considerable renown and long-standing heritage — all likewise offering sacred beast blood, bones, horns, and other such items for sale.
In the last great battle, nearly the entire contingent of ancient clan members had perished, their remains divided among the various great powers. Some were now putting up portions of the blood and flesh they had no use for at auction.
Deep in the cosmos, aboard a colossal mother ship, the true main force of the ancient clans had arrived several days prior. Not one among them was weak. Upon discreetly learning of the situation, many wore expressions of iron.
“My great Bull Demon Clan — treated as sacred beasts?” A powerfully built ancient king, covered in black bull hide, shaking a pair of black horns, cried out in furious indignation.
His bull’s nose was practically twisted with rage, puffing out white smoke. The ancient clans took immense pride in their dignity, and now they were being regarded as wild animals.
“Very well. To be so humiliated — even the bones of an ancient saint of my Crimson Phoenix Mountain are being auctioned off, treated as those of some sacred fowl. If I do not sweep them all away, I will end my own life here and now!”
An Ancestral King of Crimson Phoenix Mountain spoke to himself. He was of the ancient imperial clans — ordinarily seated high above all others. Though some among his clansmen bore bird-like features, that did not make them animals to be insulted as beasts.
These were all powerful ancient lineages of tremendous antiquity, who looked down upon the human race. Now, to be demeaned by the inhabitants of another ancient star — the indignity was truly unbearable.
“Enemy assault!”
A great alarm rang out across every corner of Eternal Main Star, putting every great clan on war footing.
Even Ye Fan was caught off guard. He looked up toward the sky — and yet no saints were descending. Only one warship after another was lifting into the air.
“No enemy presence detected — and yet it is reported that several great families have lost cosmic mother ships. Eight in total have gone missing. It must be those sacred beasts launching another attack, but this time they are being cautious, not showing themselves immediately — leaving themselves an avenue of retreat.”
“There is no need for worry. Holy One Luan Feng and the other peerless powerhouses have been waiting for them to appear. It is said that the divinity concentrated in these sacred beasts’ blood can be extracted and refined as a primary ingredient, used to temper and refine the evolution fluid.”
Everyone was discussing it. A tense atmosphere pervaded Eternal Main Star. Though they were filled with a sense of superiority, an assault by a horde of “sacred beasts” was still deeply frightening.
The corners of Ye Fan’s mouth curved into a cold smile. Neither side was a gentle party. It was best if they clashed fiercely and both came away the worse for it.
That night, Heavenly Origin City blazed with light — like a great divine pearl embedded in the earth. Through long and ancient ages, this place had once given birth to gods. It had always been the central sacred land.
Many people harbored great hopes. Many great clans wished to compete at the auctions and obtain sacred beast blood and bones, raising the strength of their families.
Ye Fan moved through Heavenly Origin City, occasionally glancing up at the overcast sky, sensing a stillness that preceded great conflict — the storm would come.
Flash!
A streak of brilliance swept across the heavens. The Divine Blue Ancient Fortress vanished instantly from the ground. In the sky appeared an Ancestral King with three heads and six arms, from the Heaven-Mixing Clan.
With a great sweep of those wide sleeves, the most magnificent auction houses on the ground disappeared one by one into the depths of that sleeve. This was a supreme ancient divine ability called “The Universe Within a Sleeve.”
For those auction houses, in addition to sacred beast blood, reportedly also had evolution fluid that might appear as the final lot.
“You have come at last. I have waited long for you!”
A figure radiating violet light from every part of their body shot up from within the city into the heavens, wielding a violet sacred sword — crystalline and translucent, hundreds of zhang in length — and cleaved it straight down upon the three-headed, six-armed Ancestral King.
“It is Holy One Luan Feng’s third disciple! With him holding the line, all should be well!” Cries of excitement erupted from within the city, one after another.
“BOOM!”
In the heavens above, a fierce collision erupted. A great swathe of the void was annihilated in an instant. Two saints clashed; black holes spread without limit.
Without a sound, a mother ship appeared in the sky. The cabin door opened, and eight or nine ancient kings stepped out — each and every one cold and expressionless.
“They may have some powerhouses, but they all rely on external tools. The battle will not last long!”
No sooner had that Ancestral King’s words fallen than a violent explosion erupted — from the mother ship directly behind them. Flames and fire engulfed the heavens, and a force of utter destruction surged outward as the sacred-weapon-grade cosmic mother ship split apart piece by piece.
“Ah…!”
The Ancestral Kings sustained severe injuries. This was a sacred-grade weapon detonating — a force comparable to a self-destructing sacred weapon — horrifying in magnitude.
The battle began. The clash between the two great star domains ignited on this night, its curtain now drawn open. In other great cities as well, similar holy battles erupted in kind!