The affairs of the Dao Clan and Cloud Clan were finally settled.

  With the fall of their saint ancestors, the blades hanging over Five Phoenix had vanished.

  The resources of both clans were fully claimed by Five Phoenix and transported back to the continent.

  Mineral veins, spiritual tools and artifacts, cultivation techniques, spiritual herbs, divine medicines...

  The haul was immense—after all, these were the accumulations of two clans over a million years. How could it not be vast?

  In truth, the celestials of Five Phoenix only emptied the Dao ancestral ground. They left the other resources on the upper continent untouched.

  After all, the upper realm wasn't solely Dao and Cloud territory.

  Even so, the resources brought back were staggering.

  With them, Five Phoenix's foundation grew even deeper.

  Lu Jiulian, Overlord, Sima Qingshan, and others sorted and distributed these riches.

  Some scattered them across the world, benefiting the masses—and reaping fortune in return.

  In this war, Five Phoenix's human and true immortals, along with the Netherworld's yin messengers, displayed overwhelming dominance. Cultivating karma and fortune had filled them with confidence.

  They couldn't help but marvel: worthy of ancient transmitted methods.

  The Great Luo Immortal Scripture and Six Paths Reclamation Visualization granted strength boosts that even the upper realm couldn't match.

  This inspired Five Phoenix's cultivators to train even harder.

  The Netherworld sealed once more as Dan Taixuan returned. They took few resources—useless for the Netherworld. But in the war's deaths, Dan Taixuan seized over half the souls from Nine Heavens Dao's grasp.

  Such boldness—far from their former timidity before it.

  With karma nearing river-like, Dan Taixuan had the capital for audacity.

  Most resources poured into Five Phoenix, aiding its cultivators.

  A grand era unfolded like a vast scroll.

  With the immortals' triumphant return, cultivators and mortals alike buzzed with excitement.

  The Human Emperor of Great Xuan personally sacrificed at Mount Tai to welcome them.

  A resounding victory—exhilarating. The world boiled.

  Even tensions between demon clan court and Great Xuan eased slightly.

  Of course, temporary—deep scars and rifts wouldn't vanish easily.

  Vast Ocean.

  Lake heart island.

  Lu returned, white robes flowing.

  Stroking the Stealing Heaven Tower—mood excellent. Another twenty thousand dao reserves gained. Plus Dao Clan's million-year accumulation—all converted to Five Phoenix Dao—its Heavenly Dao would strengthen vastly.

  Not rivaling Nine Heavens yet... but growing.

  Ning Zhao, Yi Yue, and Ni Yu appeared to greet him.

  Their eyes resentful—they'd missed the fiery battle.

  Lu seemed to recall something.

  Beckoned the three maids.

  They approached puzzled.

  "You know the Great Luo Immortal Scripture?"

  "Unearthed in ascension grounds—an immortal method for ancient immortals, specializing in fortune. You can try it."

  He said.

  The maids looked confused.

  Lu smiled.

  No explanation.

  Raised hand—tapping their brows. The scripture's outline transmitted to their minds.

  "Henceforth, I won't restrict you. Leave the island if you wish, stay and cultivate if preferred... or enter the mortal world—experience red dust; great for tempering the heart."

  "But I hope—when I emerge from seclusion—your cultivation has leaped greatly."

  He smiled.

  The three fell dazed.

  The scripture's vastness overwhelmed.

  Long before recovering.

  "Yes."

  They bowed.

  Lu chuckled lightly—vanishing to White Jade Capital pavilion.

  Entering the world.

  The three pondered his words.

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  For Ning Zhao—bottlenecked long—perhaps vital.

  She didn't stay—leaving the island.

  Yi Yue too—time beside Young Master showed her weakness.

  He... needed no guarding.

  Ni Yu—pure whimsy. With Little Yinglong, plunged into red dust.

  The island quieted suddenly.

  Only wind rustling purple bamboo.

  Peach petals scattering softly.

  Lu sat in White Jade Capital pavilion—white robes drifting, bronze cup in hand. Watching departing maids—smiled.

  Set cup down; mind entered origin space.

  Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao blazed like a sun—vast energy palpitating.

  But his creation—absolute control.

  Hand raised.

  Three dao origins floated.

  Special rewards—not fused yet.

  Fusion might invite catastrophe—Nine Heavens Dao's world-ending wrath.

  Without certainty—no rush.

  "Better bolster with reserves."

  Eyes gleamed. Stealing Heaven Tower appeared—twenty thousand reserves infused.

  Heavenly Dao shone brighter; phoenix within cried excitedly.

  Soon interwoven.

  Lu toured origin space on Thousand Bladed Chair—then returned to reality.

  Rumble...

  Five Phoenix transformed subtly.

  Spiritual qi denser; land harder, stronger—even gravity rising slowly.

  Signs of growth.

  Now truly third-level high-martial.

  White Jade Capital pavilion.

  Spiritual Pressure Chessboard floated. Sleeve rolled, piece placed—arranging game.

  Each move—mind sublimating.

  Lu sensed... nearing breakthrough.

  Qi Refinement eighth to ninth layer.

  Not overly excited—natural flow kept him calm.

  Still time needed.

  But with cultivators' practice purifying qi—he'd reach ninth eventually.

  "As layers rise, extracted qi pickier. Ordinary Qi Condensation, Body Storage, Heaven Lock no longer suffice—only geniuses' pure qi works..."

  White robes flowing—piece down.

  Pondering.

  Minor impact—cultivator numbers growing with world level.

  Those realms now mere entry.

  "Indeed—strengthen Five Phoenix the goal."

  "Immortal martial foundation laid—path correct."

  Smiling—piece slammed.

  Reserves needed—vast to stack Heavenly Dao levels.

  Where most?

  Fingers on piece—head up, eyes gleaming toward Nine Prisons secret realm.

  Imperial weapons, naturally.

  Cloud defeated—weapon his, Lu Ping'an's.

  Hand raised—tearing void.

  Silver-gray spatial profound surged.

  Entered Netherworld—appearing deep in abyss.

  Silent—no detection, even from karma-rich Dan Taixuan.

  Supreme Furnace trapped. Lu squinted—void heaven rift's light had felled both weapons.

  One at Heavenly Gate, one here.

  Still wary—what lurked in the rift?

  Seeming to watch Five Phoenix.

  Purpose?

  Fingers tapping armrest—squinted.

  But not now.

  No preaching platform deduction this time.

  Directly—Stealing Heaven Tower out.

  With it—simpler.

  "Hope my guess correct."

  Tossed toward trapped furnace.

  Dong!

  Innate treasure vs imperial—deafening roar.

  Netherworld undead wailed in terror—imperial might could shred fragile souls.

  Undead cities.

  Dan Taixuan and nine lords opened eyes.

  Ten black lights—karma surging—appeared at abyss edge.

  Gazing down—inverted breaths.

  Abyss crisscrossed horrific imperial might.

  Dao and principles clashed.

  Might spread—furious, resisting.

  Rumble!

  Even Dan Taixuan palpitated.

  Entering now—torn to shreds by raging might!

  "What happened?"

  Dan Taixuan grave.

  Gazing dark depths—oppressed.

  Weapon aided greatly against Dao army—but Cloud's: double-edged sword.

  Trapped in Netherworld—like blade at throat.

  Misstep—Netherworld collapse.

  Abyss bottom.

  Lu unaware of Dan Taixuan's thoughts.

  Face odd—watching scene.

  Plain Stealing Heaven Tower—like boat in imperial storm.

  Furnace unleashed pressure—repelling repeatedly.

  Yet tower—like eagle against wind—closing relentlessly.

  Closer—might fiercer...

  Like woman shrieking at approaching creep.

  Lu twitched—style off somehow.

  Boom!

  Roar; tower glowed faintly.

  Next—furnace reserves emerged.

  Vast like surging river.

  Cloud's million years—sixth among ten greats (by weapon strength; first heaven's first-level aside).

  Reserves nearly matched Dao's Heavenly Evolution Mirror.

  Lu's eyes lit—like endless coins beckoning.

  "Rich again..."

  Smacked lips.

  Cloud controlled stacked fourth-levels to third—over fifty thousand reserves per third-level; million years at peak.

  Nearly hundred thousand.

  Tower devoured madly—stripping from furnace.

  Like bandit—Lu winced.

  He, benevolent—how such thieving treasure?

  Rumble!

  Suddenly—formless roar: lesser emperor will.

  Like ancient emperor strand in dismantled mirror.

  Lu grave—chessboard emerged; piece down.

  Pressure beam crashed.

  Emerging will—crushed.

  Now—million-fold pressure; board-amplified to ten million. Qi Refinement eighth's ten million-fold.

  Even saint ancestor caught off-guard—suffer greatly.

  Hum...

  Weapon trembled—but tower swallowed all reserves.

  Endless flames... snuffed.

  Aura dropped a tier.

  Not destroyed—just lost vast reserves, some divinity.

  Still imperial.

  Lu's primordial spirit entered—fully mastering Supreme Furnace.

  Mood soared.

  Left it in abyss—making it hellish wonder for Netherworld.

  Took satiated tower—left.

  Nearly hundred thousand plus prior mirror outflow.

  Full absorption—second-level high-martial at least!

  But vast—even with Great Luo converting to fortune for aid—difficult.

  Tower with hundred thousand—mightier; surrounding void cracking, heavy as collapsing heavens.

  Hundred thousand equivalent—swinging third-level high-martial as weapon.

  Lu brightened—if million—first-level each swing?

  "Too few imperial weapons."

  Regretful shake—million reserves: how many weapons?

  ...

  Upper vast continent.

  Void tore—seven hazy figures descended abruptly.

  Terrifying auras interwoven.

  Dao ancestral ground—invited by ancestor.

  But emptied—faces stern.

  Dao truly fallen.

  Cloud-Five Phoenix alliance destroyed them?

  "Someone."

  One saint spoke—hand grasping.

  Figure tumbled over.

  Disheveled, reeking, eyes mad—cackling.

  "Hahaha..."

  Ye Bei—driven insane by peerless killing array.

  Dao dead; madness saved him.

  "Dao's former prodigy, Ye Bei."

  Saint calm—confirmed insanity—sighed.

  Shock—Ye Bei flung away; crawled up, still mad.

  "Pitiful Dao."

  "Ancestor slain, prodigy mad—great saint clan to dust."

  Water Saint Ancestor swayed waist—lamented.

  Then vast saintly might spread.

  "Dao weapon trapped in void heaven's Five Phoenix Heavenly Gate. To inherit million-year reserves—retrieve Heavenly Evolution Mirror; divide with imperial might."

  Water Saint Ancestor said.

  Saints exchanged glances—streaked away.

  Dao gone—target Cloud.

  Cloud allied Five Phoenix—avenge as heaven's will.

  Five Phoenix no weakling—even seven saints plus weapons—wary of void heaven. Cloud first.

  Cloud ancestral ground.

  Seven arrived—terrifying auras.

  Scavengers in ground panicked.

  Boom!

  Saintly might spread.

  Scavengers exploded to mince.

  "What?"

  "Dao said Cloud-Five Phoenix allied? Why Cloud ground fallen too?"

  "Blood qi soaring—many dead, fierce battle."

  "Cloud Ancestor aura gone... dead too."

  One saint said.

  Seven exchanged—inhaled sharply.

  "Cloud allied Five Phoenix—destroyed Dao. Then Five Phoenix turned—destroyed Cloud..."

  "What a Five Phoenix—scheming, vicious!"

  Breaths quickened soon.

  Two upper saint clans—toyed by Five Phoenix.

  "Fate without imperial weapon..."

  One saint sighed.

  Both destroyed—million-year reserves: hot commodity.

  Retrieve weapons from Heavenly Gate/Netherworld—theirs.

  Seven gazed void heaven direction.

  Terrifying auras emanated.

  ...

  Five Phoenix, Vast Ocean.

  Ancient tomb.

  Sensing seven saints' killing intent approaching.

  Gu Mangran jolted awake in coffin.

  Suddenly alarmed.

  Sensed two sun-like auras.

  Looked.

  Great Xuan Academy depths—Lu Jiulian looked up, smiled, nodded lightly.

  Lu Jiulian saint realm?!

  Shocked—another at Buzhou Peak: that witch.

  Deep breath—sunken sockets excited.

  "Five Phoenix two more saints—greater certainty invading Cloud/Dao!"

  Murmured.

  Academy—Lu Jiulian paused.

  Smiled.

  "General, no worry—rest. Under Young Master Lu's lead—we've already razed Cloud and Dao."

  Transmitted.

  Gu Mangran stunned.

  Next—truly perplexed.

  Woke up...

  Cloud and Dao already gone?!

  Wait!

  His rest and buildup...

  Lu's promised joint attack?

  And promised Vermilion Bird divine medicine—just forgotten?