Back before he joined the Yuhua Sect, Chen Xiao had always believed that Nascent Soul Cultivators were near-mythical figures—distant and unreachable. After all, in the tiny and barren Arid Province, there were only a handful of them.
But after leaving that remote region and stepping into the grand halls of the Yuhua Sect, he realized just how vast the world truly was. Those once-revered Nascent Soul experts? They were practically everywhere.
Through tireless cultivation and relentless effort, Chen Xiao's strength had skyrocketed. His horizons broadened, his standing in the sect rose, and with time, he began to look down on his origins. The Arid Province became a place he almost felt ashamed of. It was precisely that shame which kept him from returning home for so many years.
Yet, ironically, it was a Nascent Soul Cultivator from that very land who had wiped out his father's sect!
A father's death was a blood feud that could not be ignored.
"Master, what about Elder Mu? Who did this to him?" Chen Xiao asked solemnly, his expression darkening.
Though he wasn't directly involved in the matter, the incident had attracted the attention and censure of the sect's upper echelons. It felt like a stain on his reputation—a crack on an otherwise flawless mirror—and it left him bitterly frustrated.
The Grand Sun Venerable shook his head. "We're still investigating. All clues point to the Xuantian Sect. But really, how could such a low-tier sect manage to kill Elder Mu? Just because their sect master is a Nascent Soul cultivator?"
Chen Xiao's eyes sharpened. "Then someone else must be behind it."
In his mind, Elder Mu's death had nothing to do with Ye Junlin. The gap in cultivation between them was simply too vast—it wasn't even worth considering.
For reference, the Yuhua Sect stood at the very peak of cultivation in the Eastern Domain. Cultivators from the sect wielded immense power—divine abilities that the primitive Arid Province couldn't possibly produce.
But regardless of who was responsible, the Xuantian Sect had to be destroyed.
Their Mysterious Peak leader had to die.
"Coincidentally, an ancient secret realm has just emerged in the Arid Province. The sect will assign an elder to accompany you," said the Grand Sun Venerable. "You're representing the Yuhua Sect—there'll be competition from other major powers. As for your revenge, that can wait. Understand your priorities."
The Grand Sun Venerable's tone was heavy and commanding.
Chen Xiao's expression turned solemn as he bowed deeply. "Disciple understands."
"Go, then."
"Yes!"
Watching him leave, the Grand Sun Venerable nodded with satisfaction. Chen Xiao was his most prized disciple—top of the internal sect competition rankings. His success was a reflection of the Venerable's own accomplishments.
"With these resources granted by the Ancestor, I should be able to break through to the Great Ascension realm and set foot into Crossing Tribulation!"
It was well known:
Cultivators in the Transformation Stage were called Divine Lords.
Those in the Core Formation Stage were Heavenly Lords.
Upon reaching Great Ascension, one became a Venerable, or a Supreme.
And once past the Tribulation, one was known as a Virtual Immortal.
To be associated even in name with "Immortal" was a testament to the terrifying power of that realm.
---
Arid Province.
Luotian Secret Realm.
Even before its official activation, crowds had already gathered outside the realm's entrance.
Cultivators blanketed the skies and dotted the earth below—it was noisy, chaotic, and brimming with tension.
Naturally, most of the early arrivals were local cultivators from the Arid Province, being the closest.
"This time, four of the five major sects have shown up!"
"Strange… where's the Xuantian Sect? Are they chickening out?"
"No way. They recently absorbed the Wind Thunder Sect—they're probably the strongest in the Arid Province now."
Suddenly, hearty laughter erupted, followed by an overwhelming pressure that swept across the area. Many cultivators instinctively trembled in fear.
"Transformation Stage?!"
A cold wave of fear washed over the crowd.
"The ancestor has come out of seclusion!" exclaimed the Banshan Sect leader.
High in the air stood an elderly man dressed in loose robes, glowing with spiritual light and radiating an ethereal aura. His gaze was sharp as lightning, and his cultivation was utterly unfathomable.
"Haha, seems I picked the right day to leave seclusion," the old man said. "A secret realm has emerged? Must be fate!"
"For this secret realm, my Banshan Sect will enter first! Anyone with objections, come face me!"
With a thunderous roar, the Banshan Sect's ancestor, Ouyang Feng, sent a wave of fear rolling through the region. His voice alone rattled the souls of cultivators within a hundred miles.
Having just broken through to the Transformation Stage, the old man was riding high—eager to flaunt his newfound strength.
"Grandmaster is invincible! Long live the Grandmaster!"
The Banshan Sect cultivators erupted in cheers, swept up in a frenzy of pride and excitement.
"Do any of you dare oppose me?" Ouyang Feng asked, looking down arrogantly.
The leaders of the Heavenly Sword Sect, Changhe Sect, and Carefree Sect were all stunned. Each looked at him with awe and dread.
A Transformation Stage cultivator!
In a land where even Nascent Soul experts were scarce, a single Transformation Stage existence was like a leviathan crashing into a quiet lake.
It was a complete game-changer.
The Banshan Sect had just ascended to a new level.
"We submit to the Divine Lord's decree," said the Heavenly Sword Sect leader, envy thick in his voice.
The remaining three sect leaders followed suit, bowing in unison.
"We submit to the Divine Lord's decree!"
Seeing this, the unaffiliated cultivators quickly backed off. They knew the matter was settled. No one dared to hover in the sky beside Ouyang Feng—they all landed, not daring to offend this newly ascended powerhouse.
After all, who would dare compete when the Transformation Stage revealed itself?
"Hahaha…"
Ouyang Feng's laughter echoed across the heavens. This was the moment he had waited for. From now on, he would reign supreme in the Arid Province!
Boom!
Suddenly, a tide of powerful, unfamiliar auras surged from every direction.
Ouyang Feng instinctively flinched, nearly striking out on reflex—only to be stunned by the sight before him.
Dozens of massive warships emerged from the clouds, forged from rare materials and etched with divine runes. Their majesty was overwhelming.
Countless banners fluttered—each one representing a major power.
Cultivators flew in with swords, rode mystical beasts, or arrived in groups, exuding oppressive auras as they descended.
"The Hall of Heavenly Martial Arts is here! Arid Province locals, back off!"
"The Mist Shadow Sect has arrived—make way if you know what's good for you!"
"The First Army of the Pingtian Dynasty paves the way! Anyone who blocks our path dies!"
"This ancient secret realm belongs to the Imperial Extreme Sect! No one else may lay claim!"
…
The sky echoed with thunderous declarations.
Normally, the Arid Province rarely saw Golden Core cultivators—yet now, they were everywhere. Even Nascent Soul cultivators were common!
"Huh? There's actually a Transformation Stage cultivator in the Arid Province?"
An outsider's surprised voice cut through the chaos.
Indeed, Ouyang Feng was too conspicuous—hovering in the sky while everyone else kept their feet firmly on the ground.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In a flash, hundreds of immense Divine Senses locked onto him!
Cold sweat dripped from Ouyang Feng's forehead. Every hair on his body stood on end.
"Transformation Stage?! They're all in the Transformation Stage?!"
His heart nearly stopped. It felt like his entire worldview had been shattered.
He had painstakingly cultivated for years to achieve the Transformation Stage—becoming the top cultivator in the Arid Province in tens of thousands of years.
Yet just as he was about to bask in glory, hundreds of outsiders arrived—dozens of whom were in the same realm as him!
Anyone would break down in his position.
Pale-faced and trembling, Ouyang Feng bowed stiffly, forcing a smile. "Fellow seniors... I'm Ouyang Feng, ancestor of the Banshan Sect. You can just call me Xiao Feng…"
"Shameless old fossil, still pretending to be young? Get lost and stay out of our way!" snapped a rough-looking commander from an immortal dynasty. He wore dragon-scale armor and carried a massive halberd.
Laughter erupted all around.
To the powerful cultivators from the thirteen Eastern Domain states, Ouyang Feng was nothing more than a clown.
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