Zhulong stepped across the sea with her eyes closed, her long lashes trembling faintly.

  She was like a serene autumn leaf—quiet, graceful, and beautiful.

  Little Yinglong sensed her arrival and jolted awake from his nap. Having been thoroughly thrashed by the "big sister" back on Buzhou Peak, he instinctively thought she had come specifically to beat him up again.

  Zhulong had left Buzhou Peak and come to the island only because she heard Lu's summons.

  Ning Zhao, Yi Yue, and Ni Yu all roused from their meditation to welcome her.

  Ning Zhao was the most shocked. She realized she could barely discern Zhulong's cultivation anymore. The pillar-like fortune swirling around her alone signified true immortal-level combat strength.

  But considering Zhulong's innate talent and her habit of fighting far above her realm as if it were routine, Ning Zhao knew her true power far exceeded that of an ordinary true immortal.

  Lu gazed at Zhulong and gave a slight nod.

  Having mastered the swallowing and exhaling of the Heavenly Dao, she had now been personally appointed by Lu as its overseer. With her aid, the fledgling Five Phoenix Heavenly Dao's conversion of dao reserves had accelerated dramatically.

  In truth, under the influence of the Great Luo Immortal Scripture, the celestials of Five Phoenix had all chosen to cultivate fortune. In doing so, they were unwittingly helping the Heavenly Dao refine those dao reserves even faster.

  "Are you ready?"

  Lu sat upon the Thousand Bladed Chair at the heart of the lake island. A gentle breeze stirred the air, and the purple bamboo grove rustled softly.

  Zhulong kept her eyes closed, lashes fluttering, a faint smile curving her lips and revealing two adorable dimples.

  "Good."

  Lu smiled in return.

  Over the following days, Zhulong remained on the island while Lu used scraps from the Dao Clan's imperial weapon to forge a full suit of battle armor for her.

  Weapons crafted from imperial weapon materials had become all the rage in Five Phoenix. Most celestials now wielded them—many had scavenged fragments when the original imperial weapon shattered.

  Finding Aru to refine them had granted the celestials of Five Phoenix a massive boost in combat power.

  Yet anyone who saw Zhulong's complete set of imperial-grade armor would be dumbfounded, astounded by the sheer extravagance of its creator.

  After all, materials from an imperial weapon were unimaginably precious.

  "Time to go."

  Once the armor was finished, Lu spoke to Zhulong.

  She said nothing, only nodded obediently.

  "Young Master... where are you taking Sister Zhulong?"

  Ni Yu asked, puzzled.

  Ning Zhao and Yi Yue looked equally confused.

  Lu remained seated on the Thousand Bladed Chair and smiled. "To kill a Saint Ancestor."

  He turned to Zhulong. "Confident?"

  Zhulong pressed her lips together, clenched her fists, and nodded firmly.

  "Yes!"

  Hum...

  Spatial profound energy surged. In the next instant, Lu vanished from the lake island, taking Zhulong with him.

  Ni Yu, Ning Zhao, and Yi Yue stood frozen in stunned silence.

  Even Little Yinglong, perched atop Ni Yu's head, was speechless.

  Kill a Saint Ancestor?

  Had Zhulong... really reached the level where she could slay one?

  ...

  The moment Lu left Five Phoenix with Zhulong, many across the continent sensed it.

  True immortals whose fortune had reached the pillar stage felt it most clearly.

  At the rear mountain of the Great Xuan Academy.

  Lu Jiulian lifted his head. He vaguely perceived a massive storm of fortune brewing.

  Tilting his head slightly, his figure blurred into afterimages and vanished.

  Tianji Peak.

  Home to the Tianji Pavilion.

  With Five Phoenix entering the era of fortune cultivation, the pavilion's status had skyrocketed. Its diviners could now calculate heavenly secrets and read currents of fortune.

  Lü Mudui sat in meditation. Beside him, Mo Tianyu lounged with his robe open, the two of them roasting a carp freshly caught from North Luo Lake.

  "Nothing beats the mortal world," Mo Tianyu said, taking a swig of wine and eyeing the sizzling fish. "Ascending to the upper realm ruins your appetite. Ingredients are scarce, and everyone's just a boring cultivator obsessed with training."

  Lü Mudui remained calm, flipping the fish and sprinkling cumin before continuing to grill.

  Suddenly, both men's eyes flickered.

  "An old friend seems to be paying a visit."

  No sooner had the words left his mouth than storm clouds gathered over Tianji Peak.

  Lu Jiulian's figure appeared.

  "Perfect timing, Jiulian. Care to try Old Lü's cooking?"

  Lü Mudui laughed.

  Lu Jiulian approached unhurriedly, a gentle smile on his face. He shook his head.

  "Zhulong has left Buzhou Peak. The Heavenly Dao's fortune is fluctuating wildly. Something big is coming—a massive surge of fortune."

  His own fortune churned powerfully around him, blazing like a brilliant sun or a roaring river in the eyes of Lü Mudui and Mo Tianyu.

  "Worthiest cultivator of our age," Mo Tianyu said brightly. "With fortune that intense, you're only half a step from the river-like stage of Mysterious Immortal."

  "The path of fortune is difficult," Lu Jiulian replied, shaking his head. "That half step could take eons."

  Lü Mudui and Mo Tianyu exchanged a glance.

  After a quick divination, Lü Mudui's face flushed red.

  "This heavenly secret... involves Young Master Lu. Zhulong leaving Buzhou Peak—it was at his command."

  His cheeks burned as though he might cough blood.

  Whenever secrets touched the Young Master of White Jade Capital, the backlash was brutal.

  "Young Master Lu is involved?"

  Lu Jiulian paused, then narrowed his eyes.

  Mo Tianyu chuckled, picking up the slightly charred but fragrant fish and taking a juicy bite. "No need to divine further. Young Master Lu has taken Zhulong out of Five Phoenix. Her strength has always been ahead of the curve. As one of the eight heavenly dragon breeds, she received a fortune baptism. That puts her combat power slightly above yours, Jiulian. Bold guess—she's on par with a Mysterious Immortal. In other words... a Saint Ancestor."

  "Back then, the Dao Clan and Cloud Clan invaded Five Phoenix, assaulting the Heavenly Gate and the Netherworld. The Cloud Saint Ancestor even damaged Young Master Lu's sword. Everything else aside... that's the key point."

  He took another bite. Lü Mudui's already flushed face turned crimson as he watched his hard-earned fish disappear piece by piece. Finally, he couldn't hold it in and spat blood.

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  "Young Master Lu must be taking Zhulong to kill a Saint Ancestor."

  "Given his personality... heh."

  Mo Tianyu shook his head ruefully.

  He had firsthand experience—after all, Young Master Lu had once planted him in the ground like a scallion.

  "Does this tie into the fortune surge?"

  "It's very likely. The upper realm saint clans—the Dao and Cloud especially—want nothing more than to destroy Five Phoenix. Killing them would protect us, bring prosperity to humanity and the demon race, and benefit all life in Five Phoenix..."

  "Conquering the upper realm concerns the fortune of the entire continent."

  Lu Jiulian's eyes gleamed.

  Mo Tianyu and Lü Mudui froze, then inhaled sharply.

  "Slaying an upper realm Saint Ancestor would earn Five Phoenix's recognition—a fortune baptism. That half step to Mysterious Immortal would be crossed."

  An idea sparked in Lu Jiulian's mind.

  After thanking the two, he shot away as a streak of light.

  Lü Mudui and Mo Tianyu shared a look filled with shock... and blazing excitement.

  Soon, messages from the Tianji Pavilion—carried on profound yellow paper and scented with roasted fish—spread across the world.

  ...

  At the Painting Sect, Sima Qingshan read the paper and smiled.

  He slowly rolled up a blank scroll, gathered his brushes and inks, slung his bag over his shoulder, and prepared to leave the sect.

  An Miaoyu entered carrying a pot of nourishing soup just in time to see him ready to depart.

  "Master, where are you going?"

  She asked in surprise.

  Sima Qingshan smiled and handed her the paper.

  "I'm heading to the upper realm to exterminate a saint clan... and gather fortune for the Painting Sect."

  At the Haoran Sect.

  Kong Nanfei and Meng Haoran stood atop a snow-capped peak, watching the falling flakes.

  Kong Nanfei's somewhat disheveled Confucian robes fluttered. He turned to Meng Haoran, whose fortune rose like a pillar, and smiled. "Haoran, you'll guard the sect for a while."

  "Your master is going to the upper realm to have a word with them... and gather fortune for the Haoran Sect."

  Laughing heartily, Kong Nanfei stepped forward. His pillar of fortune shot skyward.

  They were not alone.

  Word reached every top-tier immortal in Five Phoenix.

  With the world's fortune now tied to Five Phoenix's rise and fall, the upper realm saint clans threatening it had become prime targets—delicious opportunities to harvest fortune.

  One after another, Five Phoenix celestials soared into the heavens on auspicious clouds. Fortune blotted out the sun; pillars of milky-white light pierced the firmament, shaking the skies.

  Each pillar marked a true immortal of Five Phoenix.

  The entire world erupted in uproar.

  No one knew what was happening.

  Smaller sects understood: the true immortals were gathering... to invade the upper realm!

  To harvest fortune, shatter their bottlenecks, and prove the Mysterious Immortal realm!

  Cultivators everywhere were stunned, envious, thrilled—their blood boiled.

  Overlord emerged from the Eastern Sea, demonic energy coiling around him as he led his newly founded demonic sect disciples skyward.

  "Guard Five Phoenix! I will return with a Saint Ancestor's head, bathed in his blood, having broken through to Mysterious Immortal!"

  Overlord declared with unrivaled dominance.

  Then, axe and shield on his back, he charged into the clouds.

  Above the Vast Ocean, Du Longyang, Ye Shoudao, Empress Ni Chunqiu, and others from the Tianyuan forces gathered.

  Nie Changqing was already waiting, Dragon Slayer in his arms.

  Their fortunes clashed grandly, almost competitively.

  Beyond Five Phoenix, laughter rang out among the crowd.

  In the next moment, they transformed into streaks of light, activating teleportation arrays forged from Lu's "Travel" character profound.

  On the Five Phoenix continent, in an ancient tomb beneath the Vast Ocean.

  Immense fortune coiled around Bu Nanxing, strands weaving toward a pillar.

  Nearby, Lu Changkong worked on divine medicine. His own fortune surged like a mighty river.

  Though he had never appeared publicly on the continent, the divine medicines he developed and spread had nurtured countless cultivators.

  Compared to teaching techniques to scrape fortune, his method was far more direct and brutal.

  Lu Changkong himself had no idea why his fortune was on the verge of reaching the river stage.

  According to the now-widespread Great Luo Immortal Scripture, he was already... half-step Mysterious Immortal?

  He even felt that once he successfully hybridized his latest divine medicine and released it across Five Phoenix...

  His fortune would surge again, shattering the barrier and stepping straight into Mysterious Immortal.

  "The celestials of Five Phoenix are gathering to invade the upper realm..."

  "Young Master has even taken Zhulong to slay a Saint Ancestor."

  "Lord Lu, should we wake General Gu in the palace?"

  Bu Nanxing asked hesitantly.

  "If I remember correctly, Young Master promised General Gu they would invade the upper realm together and kill Saint Ancestors. He even offered a rare divine medicine as payment."

  Lu Changkong paused, then shook his head.

  "If Pan'er didn't invite General Gu, he has his reasons. Do you think my son would be stingy over one plant? As his father, I have plenty of divine medicines—he's never short."

  "Pan'er must feel General Gu has done enough. Every major crisis in Five Phoenix—he was the one who stepped up. Pan'er doesn't want him exhausted."

  Lu Changkong smiled.

  Bu Nanxing nodded in sudden understanding.

  In that case, they would not disturb the general.

  ...

  In the Nine Prisons Netherworld.

  The ten undead cities were shrouded in vast karmic merit.

  Thanks to cultivating the Six Paths Reincarnation Visualization, the yin messengers of each city had grown tremendously in strength.

  The pillar-like fortune of the living world naturally affected the Netherworld—primarily through karma.

  When a person of great fortune died, their soul was drawn into reincarnation and fell to the Netherworld. Purifying their obsessions with the visualization method yielded karma boosted by their fortune—several times higher than normal.

  Moreover, those with fortune were rarely truly evil; great villains did not deserve fortune.

  Thus, the rise of fortune cultivation had not only improved the Netherworld's efficiency but accelerated its own path of growth.

  The ten massive undead cities bustled orderly with countless souls passing through the gates.

  The ten city lords sat enthroned in majesty, rivers of karma rolling behind them—some already showing signs of forming true rivers. Dan Taixuan's was the most immense, thundering like a flood and nearly enveloping the entire Nine Prisons secret realm.

  "Lord Dan Taixuan, word from the living world: the celestials are marching on the upper realm to slay Saint Ancestors."

  Beigong Saint Lord spoke, karma swirling around him.

  Dan Taixuan, meditating in the city, snapped his eyes open.

  "Invading the upper realm?"

  "To kill Saint Ancestors?!"

  Excitement blazed in his gaze as ferocious killing intent and baleful aura surged.

  He still remembered the Dao and Cloud Saint Ancestors lording coldly outside the Netherworld, helpless against their oppression.

  That time, Young Master Lu and General Gu had fought to the death; the Netherworld had nearly been reduced to ruins.

  "Beigong... send the order. Summon every yin messenger in the Netherworld!"

  Dan Taixuan rose abruptly, authority as Lord of the Netherworld radiating from him.

  Though he had shifted from Human Emperor to this role, his fiery temperament remained unchanged.

  "Those who threaten Five Phoenix will be hunted down, no matter how far!"

  Dan Taixuan stood tall, hands behind his back.

  He lifted his head as if staring through the Netherworld straight at the upper realm.

  ...

  Pingyang Heaven, Blood Evil Heaven, Yuan Magnetic Heaven.

  As Five Phoenix's celestials mobilized en masse, ancestors in numerous high-martial worlds opened their eyes.

  In Little Thunder Sound Buddhist World, the Great Senior.

  Buddhist light shone around him, faint strands of fortune weaving within.

  Not just him—ascendants across the lower three heavens were now preaching in their home worlds, cultivating fortune.

  They did not realize this fortune flowed into Five Phoenix's Heavenly Dao, but their tangible gains in cultivation were undeniable.

  When news reached them that Five Phoenix celestials were marching on the saint clans...

  They hesitated.

  "Killing saint clans grants fortune?"

  "Our worlds hit bottlenecks cultivating fortune. Only Five Phoenix is the orthodox source of the Great Luo Immortal Scripture. If we aid their army against the saint clans, will we share in Five Phoenix's fortune?"

  "We missed one chance already. We cannot miss this rare opportunity!"

  One by one, ancient immortals opened their eyes.

  Beams of fortune pierced the heavens.

  "Friends of Five Phoenix, we come to aid you—together we conquer the upper realm!"

  The entire lower three heavens boiled over.

  Countless cultivators stood dumbfounded.

  An invasion of the upper realm?

  Five Phoenix was invading the upper realm?

  It had only been a few years—how had Five Phoenix grown so bold?

  And why were the lower three heavens' ancestors joining in?

  Boom!

  But none of that mattered anymore.

  Ancient immortals rose, immortal qi fluttering, otherworldly and refined, fortune coiling around them like true celestials descending.

  They streaked across the lower three heavens.

  Once mere spectators at the Heavenly Gate, treated like small fry...

  Now, they could finally return in glory!

  ...

  Lu appeared in Yuan Magnetic Heaven with Zhulong.

  He immediately sensed the mobilization from Five Phoenix, the Netherworld, and the lower three heavens.

  A smile touched his lips.

  The rise of Five Phoenix and all its beings—that was the essence of fortune cultivation.

  Thus, conquering and slaying the upper realm saint clans that threatened it would earn the Heavenly Dao's approval—or at least its favor—making fortune easier to obtain.

  Lu smiled. Having created the Six Paths Reincarnation Visualization and the Great Luo Immortal Scripture, his strength was far beyond the ordinary Qi Refinement eighth-layer cultivator he had been upon breakthrough.

  His chaos force and primordial spirit had exploded in power, bolstered further by the Phoenix Feather Sword and Thousand Bladed Chair infused with imperial weapon materials.

  Facing a Saint Ancestor without their imperial weapon... he felt no pressure at all.

  The actions of Lu Jiulian and the others slightly altered his plan.

  "Lu Jiulian wishes to slay a Saint Ancestor to reach Mysterious Immortal?"

  "Then let us slay."

  Lu chuckled softly.

  The next moment, the Spiritual Pressure Chessboard materialized before him.

  He rolled up his sleeve, picked up a piece.

  And placed it.

  Boom!

  Immense spiritual pressure transformed into a beam of light that tore through Yuan Magnetic Heaven's sky.

  Beyond the rift, the vast upper realm continent appeared.

  Without a word from Lu.

  Zhulong, clad in imperial armor, eyes closed, lashes trembling, hair dancing in the void, stepped forward—one calm step after another—crossing into the upper realm.

  Heading straight for the Dao Clan's ancestral ground.

  First, the Dao Clan—whose imperial weapon had been dismantled, whose dao reserves had collapsed, leaving their Saint Ancestor gravely weakened.

  The perfect stepping stone for Zhulong's breakthrough!

  ...

  Upper Realm.

  Dao Clan ancestral ground.

  The meditating Dao Saint Ancestor abruptly opened his eyes.

  His primordial spirit rippled outward.

  In the next instant, killing intent boiled!

  "Damn it!"

  "A traitor! The Cloud Clan must have planted spies in my clan and leaked news of my alliance with the seven great saint clans. Five Phoenix refuses to wait for death—they strike first!"

  The Dao Saint Ancestor raged.

  He was certain his judgment was correct.

  Why else would Five Phoenix dare attack the saint clans unless desperate?

  Only if the Cloud Clan had betrayed his plan to encircle and annihilate Five Phoenix would its cultivators choose such fierce preemptive action!

  Saint Ancestor aura erupted like an avalanche.

  Since Five Phoenix dared emerge from the void to attack...

  It must be Gu Mangran and Lu Ping'an acting together.

  Even he could not underestimate that pair.

  Suddenly.

  As Yuan Magnetic Heaven tore open and a serene, armored girl with closed eyes stepped calmly forward like an autumn leaf...

  The Dao Saint Ancestor's soaring aura froze.

  Not Gu Mangran. Not Lu Ping'an.

  Who was this girl?

  Had Five Phoenix... sent someone to die?

  Hm?

  Suddenly...

  The Dao Saint Ancestor's pupils contracted.

  His gaze landed on Zhulong's armor.

  His lips trembled.

  The next instant, his stalled aura exploded like a flash flood!