Silence fell across the heavens and earth.

  When the dust settled, all Lu could see were the six saint realm experts frantically manipulating their imperial weapons, activating their power to flee at top speed—leaving only faint specks of light behind.

  Just as hurriedly as they had arrived, they departed.

  Lu was momentarily speechless. He wasn't some ferocious beast; he merely wanted a proper chat with them.

  The void trembled from the lingering ripples of the imperial weapons' activation.

  Terrifying aftershocks spread through Pingyang Heaven, leaving everyone staring blankly at the emptiness.

  Six saint realm experts—wielding imperial weapons... had fled?!

  Yes, fled in panic, no road unchosen.

  Tearing void directly into the outer battlefield—escaping at maximum speed.

  They had witnessed the Water Saint Ancestor's fate clearly.

  Imperial weapon seized, utterly humiliated.

  A saint ancestor—toyed with by Young Master Lu.

  His cunning terrified the others.

  In Little Thunder Sound Buddhist World of Pingyang Heaven, the Great Senior sighed deeply.

  Five Phoenix...

  The momentum was set!

  No one could halt its growth now. Void heaven's sole high-martial had become a force rivaling upper saint clans.

  The Nine Heavens' structure—about to rewrite.

  Perhaps only the first heaven's sole first-level high-martial remained superior.

  No other force in Nine Heavens could restrain Five Phoenix.

  Of course, void heaven's traits—rules limiting strong entrants—provided thick protection.

  Otherwise, saint clans mobilizing—Five Phoenix might not withstand.

  Plus the great terror in void heaven's mysterious rift—daunted other Nine Heavens forces.

  In the void.

  Lu held the Water Clan's imperial weapon.

  Its imperial might gradually retracted.

  Reserves within still fluctuating—this Water weapon seemed weaker than Cloud or Dao's.

  Reason Stealing Heaven Tower suppressed it.

  Lu estimated: eighty to ninety thousand reserves.

  Imperial might prevented storage in Profound Mysterious Ring—risk bursting spatial tool.

  Tower suppressing Water weapon, Lu turned—flying back to void heaven.

  Cautious indeed.

  Though currently calm—imperial power terrifying.

  In ancient emperor hands—devastating might.

  Saints drew perhaps a tenth—but true power untapped.

  Of course, Lu collected for reserves alone.

  In his view, imperial weapons ranked similar to innate treasures.

  Difference: innate like Stealing Heaven Tower held no Nine Heavens reserves; imperial weapons required them.

  Reserve quantity determined power.

  In void heaven.

  Gu Mangran sat in coffin—expressionless watching returning Lu.

  Seeing Water weapon suppressed by tower—felt scarce vitality draining faster. Couldn't take the shock.

  "This... imperial weapon?"

  Staring tower.

  Only imperial could suppress imperial...

  Lu shook head—Stealing Heaven Tower innate treasure.

  No explanation.

  Face regretful.

  "Pity only one captured for study. Found... seizing imperial weapons greatly benefits Five Phoenix growth."

  "Imperial weapons bear emperor imprints—mishandled, invite horrific calamity..."

  Gu Mangran twitched lips.

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  Lu smiled. "Imperial weapons hold vast reserves—these absorbed: Five Phoenix growth explosive."

  Words left Gu Mangran blank.

  Imperial reserves...

  Understood: ten great clans once emperor-seated, leaving weapons—strategic killers, clan suppressors holding accumulations.

  But... convert to Five Phoenix?

  Shatter intact weapons?!

  Thought emerged—Gu Mangran inhaled sharply.

  Perhaps... truly?

  "Water Saint Ancestor wounded—won't return clan easily. Not foolish—return means encirclement, clan extinction."

  "She'll scheme reclaim weapon... but void heaven rules bar easy entry—stronger, harsher restriction..."

  Gu Mangran stopped pondering Lu's reserve extraction—seriously warned severity.

  "No issue..."

  Lu waved.

  Gu Mangran continued: "Plus Cloud/Dao weapons—now Water's. Three trapped in void heaven. Seem six fled—but three weapons' lure: won't rest."

  "Young Master Lu prepare early."

  Lu shook head.

  "They rejected my business—this grudge noted. If return... I, Lu Ping'an, won't be so accommodating."

  Words fell—hand raised, spatial profound surging.

  Tore void—vanished from void heaven, back to Five Phoenix.

  Gu Mangran twitched lips—claims petty Young Master Lu: no defense left.

  Leaning coffin wall—tense face relaxed.

  "Jiulian, Zhulong... plus Young Master Lu. Swallow medicine—recover saint power..."

  "Thus Five Phoenix: four saint-level forces."

  "Five Phoenix now voice in Nine Heavens."

  "Save first heaven's first-level—fears no second/third. Matches any great saint clan."

  Gu Mangran felt chest-clearing exhilaration.

  Recalled early revival: void heaven weak—even below ordinary eighth/seventh-level.

  Mere Cloud divine child bullied Five Phoenix.

  Now—dialogue with saint clans, even consecutively exterminating Cloud/Dao.

  "Five Phoenix stronger—ordinary saint clans dare not provoke. Unprovoked: ample development time."

  "Netherworld, Heavenly Gate plus human realm... Five Phoenix future—anticipating."

  Sunken sockets deep, excited.

  Controlled coffin—flew back to Five Phoenix.

  ...

  White Jade Capital pavilion.

  Lu returned.

  Water imperial whip—fully severed from ancestor—might dissipated.

  Tossed ground—like blue water snake.

  "Pity—only one."

  "If seized remaining six—total reserves over million. All into Five Phoenix: first-level?"

  Lu leaned Thousand Bladed Chair—white elegant, fingers tapping armrest.

  First-level high-martial... seemed casual.

  But six fleeing—plan foiled.

  Raised hand—rubbed brow.

  "Still too hard..."

  Regretful, but unhurried. Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao weak—refining reserves faster than original engraving, but slow relatively.

  Vast quantity.

  "Imperial weapons—not just reserves, emperor aura."

  Once wielded by ancient emperors.

  Lu recalled—eyes gleaming.

  Perhaps visualize past ancient emperors via weapons.

  Simulate auras—to bluff... no, deter others.

  Like more forbidden zones beyond Heavenly Gate.

  After one lie—to round it, more lies.

  Plus pondering: create crises for Five Phoenix cultivators—use these emperor auras.

  Let ancient emperors take blame—Lu experienced.

  Like ancient emperor "Hao"—back view played masterfully.

  Idle breeze blew—robes fluttering.

  Lu gazed blue whip—no immediate drain by tower.

  Primordial spirit surged in—studying Water imperial, simulating emperor aura.

  ...

  Upper vast continent.

  Destroyed Dao ancestral ground.

  Six figures appeared—terrifying saint auras crushing surrounding land.

  "What a Lu Ping'an—insidious, vicious beyond measure!"

  One retracted floating imperial weapon—coldly stated.

  Water Saint Ancestor wounded, weapon seized—beyond imagination.

  Who thought Five Phoenix Lu Ping'an schemed everything.

  "Cloud, Dao now plus Water—tiny Five Phoenix gathered three saint clan imperial weapons..."

  Another spoke.

  Atmosphere turned eerie.

  Three weapons—immense temptation.

  Now six allied—but for three, faces could tear anytime.

  But pre-breaching Five Phoenix—no rash.

  "Water Saint Ancestor wounded—won't return clan easily. Not stupid—return: encirclement."

  "She'll scheme reclaim... but void heaven rules bar entry—stronger, stricter..."

  "She'll wait. No weapon—can't force rules. Now: hide in dark, await rules dissipate—then chance reclaim."

  One analyzed.

  "Thus using her breach unrealistic—we plan otherwise."

  Six exchanged.

  Cautious—Water's fate heightened wariness.

  Underestimated Lu—unbearable cost.

  Suddenly one squinted: "We... contact first heaven's first-level high-martial."

  "Rumor living ancient emperor—perhaps..."

  Words out.

  Other five grave.

  "No!"

  "First heaven acts—Dao/Cloud/Water weapons theirs."

  "Three fallen there—no reclaim chance."

  Proposer squinted.

  "Wait Five Phoenix develop steadily? Cloud/Dao fates—forget not!"

  "Besides weapons—Five Phoenix itself extreme threat!"

  "Can conceal weapon news..."

  "Five Phoenix special—not just weapons. Netherworld, Heavenly Gate plus human realm—reshaping mini Nine Heavens prototype, aiming first-level..."

  "Inform first heaven—they'll note. Nine Heavens: one first-level suffices."

  Words fell.

  Six silent.

  Only dragon-like heavy breaths surging.

  Indeed—tempted.

  First heaven acts—void heaven muddied. Muddy waters... fish.

  ...

  Void heaven calmed again.

  Not just void—lower three heavens too.

  Vanished Water Saint Ancestor—unknown whereabouts. Perhaps hidden outer battlefield.

  Or disguised in lower three high-martial.

  Saint ancestor concealed—no easy detection without aura leak.

  Five Phoenix ever tranquil.

  Hundred-fold time—isolated development from outside.

  Gu Mangran reclined coffin—restoring vitality, gathering strength.

  Five Phoenix immortals strove fortune accumulation.

  After Lu Jiulian first river-like Mysterious Immortal—Overlord, Sima Qingshan etc. true immortals pursued his realm.

  Five Phoenix cultivation civilization flourished.

  Fortune grew—but no new river-like Mysterious Immortal.

  Many pillar-like true immortals—after spreading methods—fortune growth slowed. Too many spreaders; limited practitioners—saturation.

  Fortune gains dwindled.

  Higher immortals—advancement hard.

  River-like Mysterious Immortal—harder.

  Overlord etc. considered slaying saints—like Lu Jiulian's breakthrough.

  But... where so many saints to slay?

  Cloud/Dao exterminated.

  Thus many shifted from methods—to creating combat arts.

  Surprisingly viable.

  Geniuses created new arts—gaining silk-like fortune.

  Suddenly countless focused—birthing varied combat arts.

  Elevating Five Phoenix combat level.

  Initial success—but soon saturation, stabilization.

  Though birthed many pillar true immortals—no river-like.

  Suddenly Five Phoenix immortals felt difficulty. Mysterious Immortal hard—Golden Immortal, Great Luo... how harder!

  Perhaps time accumulation.

  Ten thousand, hundred thousand, million years—stack fortune to Mysterious Immortal.

  But current first Mysterious Immortal Lu Jiulian knew: deeper, not simple.

  Beyond fortune—Heavenly Dao insight needed.

  Continued thus—future bottleneck inevitable.

  ...

  Origin Lake, lake heart island.

  Lu eyes closed.

  Bronze cup in hand.

  Body enveloped odd dao charm.

  Hum...

  Body lightly trembling—invisible ripples spreading, shaking void.

  Vast Ocean waves rhythmic.

  Whale bearing White Jade Capital island—lantern-like eyes wide. Under charm—seemed enlightened.

  Gathered pillar fortune.

  Whale... broke to true immortal under Lu's influence.

  But breakthrough whale dared no loud joy—fear disturbing powerful human atop.

  Of course, Lu sensed little.

  For now—body intensely quaking, odd transformation.

  Overflowing spiritual qi interwoven around—nearly collapsing void.

  Primordial spirit emerged—breaking barriers, vast change.

  Golden primordial spirit substantive—like blazing sun, boundless, terrifying.

  Sweeping—entire Five Phoenix continent seemed under it!

  Lu's guess correct.

  Post mortal return insights—Qi Refinement bottleneck gone.

  Now—broke through.

  While drinking—accidentally.

  Aura vast.

  Natural flow—from Qi Refinement eighth...

  To ninth layer.