Zhu Qinglan gazed at Zhi Xuan for a long time, as if wanting to ensure that the figure before her would not evaporate into mist the moment she blinked. With a movement of profound tenderness, she reached out and grasped the edge of Zhi Xuan's robe, squeezing it for a moment before letting go.

  "I will wait for you," Qinglan whispered. She turned and stepped into her pavilion, where the air instantly froze once more, hiding her beauty and vulnerability behind sturdy walls of ice.

  Zhi Xuan remained standing there until the pavilion door was firmly closed. Once silence truly reigned, the warm expression on his face vanished, replaced by a coldness capable of freezing the very flow of blood. He did not return to the guest residence provided by the Zhu clan. Instead, he faded into a shadow that crawled like the night, reappearing in the middle of the Imperial City streets.

  "Great Saint," Zhi Xuan called out in his mind. "Did you hear what Qinglan said?"

  "I heard it quite clearly, Zhi Xuan," Ruo Xianxue replied from the depths of his sea of consciousness, her voice carrying a cold tone that vibrated like the clinking of swords. "The departure of the Sacred Passage experts to the Upper Realm is a double-edged sword. For them, it is the pursuit of a higher Dao, but for this continent, it is the loss of the earthly pillars that maintain the balance. The rats now feel like lions simply because the master of the forest is away."

  Zhi Xuan walked through the alleys of the Imperial City, which were beginning to be lit by the dim glow of lanterns. Each of his steps left no trace, yet his inner essence spread like a spider's web, feeling every corner of the city, searching for any ripple of energy that did not align with the breath of the Xing Luo Plain.

  "Xu Han did not lie," Zhi Xuan murmured. He moved his finger, and a pitch-black jade token appeared in his hand. "The Ruined Wilderness, the Huang Tu Plain. And tonight, I heard from the Sacred Fairy’s own mouth that those Sacred Passage experts have gone to the Upper Realm. The Upper Realm truly exists."

  Zhi Xuan stopped atop an old, abandoned bell tower. He stood at the peak of its roof, staring toward the north where the aura of Wan Xing and his group resided—a magnificent residence lent by the city authorities to maintain diplomatic dignity. In Zhi Xuan's eyes, the grandeur of that place was merely a tomb waiting for its inhabitant.

  "Those rats from the Western Continent feel they can steal the pearl while the guardian dragon is away," Zhi Xuan hissed. His hand gripped the black token tighter before storing it back away. "Let us see what this little rat looks like."

  Zhi Xuan sharpened his divine senses, immediately spanning dozens of li toward the north. To every practitioner passed by those divine senses, it felt as though two sapphire-blue eyes, like the night itself, were staring at them from within their souls, causing some to feel a piercing chill.

  "Heavenly Eye," Zhi Xuan hissed. His right eye glowed with a golden light that immediately laid everything bare before him.

  Zhi Xuan's vision pierced through the stone walls and protective seals installed at the grand guest residence. Through the Heavenly Eye, he saw the weave of spiritual energy flowing like a river. In the center of the main building, a star crystal pulsed—it was the source of Wan Xing's power, a cultivation based on the understanding of Stars from the Western Continent.

  Inside a luxurious room, Wan Xing sat cross-legged on a jade bed. His handsome face looked arrogant even in his wakeful sleep. Around him, several practitioners from the Western Continent were preparing chests filled with Godly Herbs and Heavenly Treasures.

  "Young Master," one of the guards, a peak-level Soul Transformation practitioner, spoke while prostrating. "All preparations for the day after tomorrow under the Sky Moon Tree are ready. With these gifts and your understanding of the Domain, Sacred Fairy Zhu will have no reason to refuse your presence as her new Dao Protector."

  Wan Xing opened his eyes, a glint of starlight appearing in his pupils. "Sacred Fairy Zhu is a gem that only I can possess. That Silver-Haired Devil is merely an obsolete story rotting in the soil of Yao Gu. This world belongs to those with power, not those who only possess stories of the past."

  "Furthermore," Wan Xing continued, raising his hand to display a constellation of stars. "The Young King of Western Stars, Shi Xing, is my senior. Hundreds of years ago, he was the one imprisoned by that Silver-Haired Devil along with the Shi Clan. This time, it is my turn to trample upon the name of the Silver-Haired Devil."

  "Indeed, Young Master," the guard replied with a thick, flattering tone. "Master Shi Xing's past defeat was only due to his carelessness in facing the dirty techniques of the Central Continent. Now, with the disappearance of the Zhu Clan Patriarch and the Hua Clan Patriarch to the Upper Realm, this Empire is nothing more than a grand building without a foundation. Who else can match the majesty of your Western Star Domain?"

  Wan Xing stood up, his white robe decorated with silver thread shimmering in the night wind blowing through the pavilion window. He walked toward the balcony, staring toward the mountains where the Zhu clan resided. His face reflected overflowing ambition, the arrogance of someone who had never tasted the bitterness of true defeat.

  "Zhu Yanghai is a greedy fox," Wan Xing chuckled cynically, his voice husky with excessive self-confidence. "He accepts my tributes like a hungry dog, unaware that once I obtain his sister, the entire influence of the Zhu Clan will be under the heel of the Western Continent. As for that Silver-Haired Devil... if it is true he still lives and dares to show his face the day after tomorrow, I will personally behead him to wash away the disgrace of Master Shi Xing."

  Another practitioner in the room, an old man with a goatee who was an Elder from Wan Xing's sect, interrupted in a heavy voice. "Young Master, stay vigilant. Rumors say the Fifth Envoy returned to the Palace today. Though it is only mortal hearsay, the aura around the Main Gate fluctuated violently a short while ago."

  "Elder Liu, you are too cautious," Wan Xing waved his hand nonchalantly. "Even if he returns, he is but a wanderer left behind by the times. Three hundred years in cultivation is a very long time. Currently, I have touched Weaver Transformation and mastered a True Domain. What can a ghost from the past do against the real power of the stars?"

  "Certainly, butchering your neck is something that can be done," a voice came with an echo that made the curtains and candles dim momentarily.

  Outside, in the starry sky, two pairs of eyes, like dead stars contrasting with the sea of constellations, stared toward the grand residence where Wan Xing and his faction stayed. Wan Xing flinched; instantly, every hair on his neck stood on end.

  A coldness that did not originate from nature crept into his marrow, as if death itself had just whispered a promise in his ear. He dashed out onto the balcony, his eyes flashing with starlight as he scanned the night sky wildly.

  "Who is it?!" Wan Xing shouted, his voice thundering and breaking the silence of the northern district. "Which cowardly rat dares to speak in the presence of this Young Master?!"

  Up there, amidst the darkening clouds, a shadow stood tall against the moon. His black-and-white robe billowed like the wings of a god of death, and his dark purple hair danced in the strong wind. He did not radiate an explosive spiritual pressure, yet his presence there made the laws of nature around the residence seem to bow in fear.

  Zhi Xuan looked down, his cold sapphire pupils glinting under the remaining light of the Heavenly Eye. "The rat you speak of... does that refer to yourself, who can only bark behind high walls while the owner of the house is asleep?"

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  "You!" Wan Xing's eyes widened. He felt a strange vibration from his soul—a tremor he had never felt in his life. "Are you the figure the gatekeepers were talking about? The Fifth Envoy? The Silver-Haired Devil?"

  Zhi Xuan did not answer. He simply melted back into a shadow, leaving behind a low murmur like the friction of a sword against ancient wood. "Do not be in a hurry; enjoy these two days, little Xing."

  The echo of the voice slowly faded, absorbed by the density of the night that suddenly felt heavier than usual. Wan Xing stood frozen on the balcony, his hand gripping the marble railing until fine cracks spread beneath his fingers. His breath came in gasps, not from exhaustion, but from a surge of anger so great that the floor beneath him cracked into a thousand pieces.

  "Young Master! Are you alright?" Elder Liu rushed to his side, his palms radiating a dim star energy as his eyes wildly scanned the now-empty horizon.

  "He... he was just here," Wan Xing hissed, his voice trembling lowly. "Only for an instant, but that aura... it was like a deep sword. How dare he intimidate me."

  Elder Liu frowned, his wrinkled face appearing even more tense. "I did not feel even the slightest spatial fluctuation. If he truly is the legendary Fifth Envoy, his ability is at least equal to yours, Young Master!"

  "Shut up!" Wan Xing snapped, the starlight in his eyes exploding, turning the marble railing in front of him into dust. "He is only trying to bluff! He intentionally appeared to disturb my Dao Heart before the day of the Dao Discussion arrives. I am the son of heaven from the Western Continent; I will not back down just because of a ghost's threat!"

  Meanwhile, far from the residence shrouded in panic, Zhi Xuan stood at the peak of the tallest tower of the Imperial Palace. He looked at his palm, where the remnants of the star aura from Wan Xing that he had momentarily absorbed were now crushed into meaningless dust.

  "Sturdy," Zhi Xuan murmured coldly. "He is stronger than I expected. This will be all the better when the prey bites back at the predator."

  "Interesting," Ruo Xianxue whispered, her laughter sounding like ice scraping over a silver surface. "He has a pure foundation. However, his arrogance is a poison that will rot his own roots. Will you let him live until the day of the celebration arrives, Zhi Xuan?"

  Zhi Xuan lowered his hand, letting his robe fall against the sharp edge of the roof. "Killing him now would only leave a stain on the palace floor. And killing him later will also weigh down my problems here. A Weaver like that would surely bring calamity if killed so easily."

  "Are you still being cautious after Zhao Wu?" Ruo Xianxue teased, exhaling slowly. "Well, perhaps you are right. Killing him would only add unnecessary trouble."

  "Correct," Zhi Xuan replied. "Wan Xing only needs a lesson about the vastness of heaven and earth; fear is what will make him retreat. However, if he touches so much as a single hair on Qinglan’s head, then the Western Continent will become just like the southern region of Yao Gu."

  The sun on the eastern horizon had not yet fully shown its face when the long-awaited two days arrived. However, the air around the Sky Moon Tree was already filled with a suffocating density of energy. The ancient tree stood like a silver tower in the center of the sacred square, its wide branches sheltering the circular Dao Discussion altar. Its transparent leaves chimed every time the mountain wind passed, emitting a resonance said to stabilize the minds of practitioners exchanging understandings.

  Thousands of eyes now packed the circular stands, from palace nobles to representatives of great sects who came with their banners of glory. In the front row, special jade chairs were occupied by the elders of the Ancient Zhu and Hua Clans, as well as high-ranking Imperial officials whose faces looked tense.

  The sound of the conch trumpet blared once more, this time louder and more authoritative. From the north, Wan Xing's group marched in with undisguised arrogance. Wan Xing walked at the very front, wearing a grand robe that radiated a bluish-silver glow. Every step he took seemed to leave a trail of stardust on the marble floor of the altar.

  "Respect to the Son of Heaven of the Western Continent!" shouted a practitioner, his voice amplified by spiritual energy.

  Wan Xing leaped gracefully, landing in the center of the main altar without causing the slightest vibration. He cupped his hands toward the guest of honor stand, but his gaze immediately shifted straight toward the gate of the ice pavilion, the place where Zhu Qinglan would appear. His self-confidence had fully recovered after two days of meditation; he had convinced himself that the incident on the balcony that night was merely a mental trick from a weak opponent.

  "Today," Wan Xing's voice thundered, resonating with the laws of nature around him. "I, Wan Xing, come not only to exchange Dao, but to prove that the future of the Xing Luo Plain requires stronger, fresh blood."

  Suddenly, the temperature across the entire square dropped sharply. Snowflakes began to fall from the clear sky, covering the marble floor with a thin, shimmering layer of ice. From behind a sudden curtain of ice mist, the figure of Zhu Qinglan stepped out. She wore a beautiful white robe, and in her hair, the Xiangu's Tears Bu Yao swayed gently, emitting a heavenly chiming sound that instantly silenced the arrogance in the air.

  Zhu Qinglan’s presence was like the embodiment of the Winter Goddess descending to the mortal earth. The atmosphere of the square, which had been noisy with cheers of praise for Wan Xing, instantly went silent as if time itself was reluctant to tick in the presence of her elegance. However, for the geniuses with sharp vision, their focus was not just on the face of the Sacred Fairy, but on the Bu Yao adorning her hair.

  "That sound..." murmured a sturdy youth in flaming red robes sitting in the western stand. He was Lie Huo from the Eastern Mountains. "That chime... it is no ordinary artifact. Every sound feels like it is washing away the dust on my Dao Heart."

  "Indeed, Brother Lie," replied a man with a pale face and eyes that looked like deep wells, known as the Silent Hermit from the Red Desert. "Look at those crystal droplets. Those are the Tears of Xiangu. How could such a thing be there?"

  Wan Xing, standing in the middle of the altar, felt his heart throb. His eyes were fixed on the Bu Yao. As someone who had sent thousands of tributes in the form of godly herbs, he felt insulted. He knew for certain that the object did not come from his shipments.

  "Sacred Fairy Zhu," Wan Xing's voice broke the silence. Although his tone tried to remain polite, there was a tremor of jealousy he could not hide. "The ornament in your hair is truly extraordinary. However, on this day of Dao Discussion, is it not better for us to focus on the essence of power rather than mortal objects that only beautify the appearance?"

  Zhu Qinglan stopped exactly opposite Wan Xing. She did not answer immediately. Her eyes scanned the stands, as if searching for someone who was supposed to be there. When she did not find the figure she sought, a flash of disappointment appeared for a split second before returning to icy resolve.

  "This object is no mortal thing," Qinglan said, her voice clear and authoritative, echoing under the shade of the Sky Moon Tree. "It is a reminder that above the sky, there is still a sky, and behind power, there is still tranquility. Wan Xing, you wish to discuss the Dao? Please, show me what you have brought from the Western Continent."

  "Good! If that is what you want!" Wan Xing snorted, spreading both his arms. "Ten Thousand Heavenly Stars!"

  WHUUSH!

  Instantly, bluish-silver light exploded from Wan Xing's body. His spiritual energy formed a giant dome covering the entire altar. Inside the dome, thousands of glows appeared like a rapidly rotating constellation of stars. This was his Western Star Domain—a True Domain capable of exerting pressure and confusing the opponent's perception of space.

  "Incredible!" shouted an elder from an outer sect. "He has truly condensed his Star Domain! Look, even the leaves of the Sky Moon Tree are beginning to vibrate in the direction of the stars' rotation!"

  Prince Lie Huo and the Silent Hermit stood up simultaneously, their faces showing tension. "This pressure... he truly is a solid Weaver. If we went up there, our mental focus might shatter within ten breaths."

  Wan Xing laughed haughtily in the midst of his star storm. "This is my way! The eternal Way of the Stars! Sacred Fairy, who in this Xing Luo Plain is capable of matching the majesty—"

  "I am."

  That single word fell not from the stands, nor from the altar. The voice emerged from the direction of the main gate, yet it felt as if it were spoken directly into the ear of every person present.

  Instantly, Wan Xing's star storm, which had been spinning fiercely, suddenly slowed down. From behind the shadows of the gate pillars, a man stepped out. He carried a large object wrapped in white cloth on his back.

  His black-and-white robe did not billow because of spiritual energy, but because of the will of nature, which seemed to open a path for him. His long, dark purple hair appeared to shimmer like silver when exposed to the light from Wan Xing's Domain.

  "Who is he?!" shouted a genius from the Southern Continent who had just arrived. "How dare he interfere with the Dao Discussion of the Son of Heaven!"

  "Wait... look at the sword on his back," whispered a Zhu clan elder with trembling hands. "That white cloth... that stepping pattern..."

  Zhi Xuan continued to walk, each of his footfalls on the marble creating a low booming sound that sent waves of spiritual ripples to the surroundings—an arrogant dominance without even lowering his spiritual energy.

  "You..." Wan Xing's eyes widened, his face flushing as he recognized the voice from the previous night. "You actually came, ghost of the past!"

  Zhi Xuan stopped exactly at the border of the altar. He looked up, staring at Wan Xing with sapphire eyes that radiated no emotion at all. "Ten Thousand Heavenly Stars... quite a nice name."

  He glanced toward Zhu Qinglan, a thin smirk creeping up before he turned back to Wan Xing. "This Dao Discussion is only worthy if you and the little children of the Eastern Mountains and Red Desert are capable of bringing me down. I am the Fifth Envoy you all speak of."