A hush fell over the Lower Third Heavens.

  As they watched the figure emerge from a tear in the void, bathed in the profound aura of spatial mysteries, everyone felt their breathing quicken.

  They might not recognize this newcomer, but his attire alone revealed his origins and status.

  Combined with the looks of utter shock on the faces of the Water Clan Sacred Ancestor and the others, it was easy to guess…

  This man was of exalted rank—a powerhouse from the enigmatic First Heaven, from a first-tier high-martial world.

  The mere thought sent chills through many.

  The First Heaven boasted the only first-tier high-martial world in the Nine Heavens.

  Rumors claimed that an ancient Great Emperor still lived there.

  It was a place out of legends. Experts from the First Heaven carried an aura of supreme nobility.

  And this one hailed from the foremost of the ten sacred clans.

  Such a being had appeared in the Void Heaven and saved sacred clan saints who should have been slain by its rules.

  The situation was growing ever more unpredictable.

  Did the First Heaven’s intervention—and its choice to rescue six saints—signal something?

  Was the First Heaven about to take sides in the grudge between Five Phoenixes and these sacred clans?

  Until now, the First Heaven had never revealed its stance on Five Phoenixes or the Void Heaven. No one knew where it stood.

  But today, that stance seemed to be clarifying.

  In an instant, the emotions of experts across the Lower Third Heavens grew deeply complicated.

  If the First Heaven intervened on the side opposing Five Phoenixes…

  The outlook for Five Phoenixes would be grim.

  The surviving sacred ancestors felt the same complexity. They had never imagined that the one to save them would be a powerhouse from the First Heaven.

  On the Five Phoenixes Continent.

  Lu showed mild surprise.

  In his palm rested the Heaven Stealing Tower, suppressing the imperial weapons within.

  He had naturally overheard the murmurs of the sacred ancestors.

  That was precisely why he was surprised.

  The First Heaven?

  The foremost sacred clan…

  Was this man here to negotiate a deal over the Dao reserves in the imperial weapons?

  Yet his temper seemed rather poor—appearing and immediately criticizing Lu Ping’an for having a bad temperament and excessive killing intent.

  This gave Lu the faint sense that the man… was here to cause trouble.

  “The First Heaven, huh? Not easy to deal with.”

  Lu narrowed his eyes.

  A person’s reputation cast a long shadow.

  The First Heaven of the Nine Heavens had always been shrouded in mystery.

  Though the ten sacred clans were ranked, the rankings were largely based on the power of their imperial weapons, so none truly submitted to another.

  With one exception: the position of foremost sacred clan.

  That rank was undisputed; no other clan contested it.

  Compared to the Heavenly Spirit Clan of the First Heaven, the others had no competitive edge.

  The rest possessed only imperial weapons, ranked by their might. But the Heavenly Spirit Clan of the first-tier world in the First Heaven had a living Great Emperor.

  There was simply no contest.

  No matter how powerful an imperial weapon, it was a lifeless object. It could not compare to a true Great Emperor.

  Moreover, even without an ancient emperor, the sheer number of saint-realm experts the Heavenly Spirit Clan produced could overwhelm the other nine sacred clans combined.

  “The First Heaven finally couldn’t sit still…”

  “Was this intervention ordered by the Heavenly Spirit Clan’s Sacred Hall, or by the ancient emperor himself?”

  “If it’s the ancient emperor’s command, things just got interesting.”

  “Under an ancient emperor’s orders, no matter how strong Five Phoenixes has become, its ultimate fate would still be annihilation.”

  Hope flickered in the eyes of the surviving sacred ancestors like the Water Clan’s.

  To avoid surprises, they shot outward at full speed, escaping the Void Heaven.

  The moment they emerged, the crushing pressure of countless rules vanished, leaving them feeling reborn.

  Soon, brilliant light shone in their gazes.

  They turned back toward Five Phoenixes.

  Their eyes were deep, murderous intent surging.

  “Lu Ping’an… return our imperial weapons!”

  Whatever the reason for the Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse’s appearance—it was convenient.

  They could borrow his authority to force Lu Ping’an to hand over the weapons.

  Boom! Boom! Boom!

  In the Boundless Heaven.

  Terrifying explosions echoed endlessly.

  Gu Mangran, gripping his coffin lid, frowned. He ceased pursuing the saint who had fled with his imperial weapon and returned to the Void Heaven.

  Lu Jiulian, Zhu Long, and the others followed suit.

  Clearly, they too had sensed something amiss in the Void Heaven.

  “The Heavenly Spirit Clan…”

  Gu Mangran returned, his gaze sweeping over the radiant figure. His expression was grave as he spoke.

  This was the foremost sacred clan of the Nine Heavens. The instant Gu Mangran saw the powerhouse appear, his heart sank.

  He felt immense pressure.

  The figure shrouded in light smiled.

  “General Gu, after hundreds of thousands of years, your valor remains undimmed.”

  The man laughed.

  Gu Mangran narrowed his eyes.

  “Is the foremost sacred clan, the Heavenly Spirit Clan, also going to interfere in this matter?”

  Gu Mangran asked.

  In the Boundless Heaven, the five surviving sacred ancestors like the Water Clan’s hovered.

  This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

  Gu Mangran faced off against the Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse.

  A grand drama that should have ended with the eruption of the rules… seemed to be starting anew.

  Saintly might surged boundlessly.

  Fortune rivers coiled around Lu Jiulian and Zhu Long, resisting the pressure.

  The Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse smiled. The radiance gradually faded, revealing an extraordinarily handsome face—elfin, as though favored by heaven and earth. Nearly flawless.

  Golden hair danced in the wind, exuding unique charm.

  “General Gu overstates the matter.”

  “I merely could not bear to watch the remaining seven clans follow the Cloud and Dao Clans into oblivion.”

  The Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse said.

  “One Fire Clan sacred ancestor has already fallen. If the rest perish here as well, the Heavenly Dao of the Nine Heavens… will rage.”

  Gu Mangran narrowed his eyes. His blood-red robes fluttered. Facing this expert from the First Heaven, he stood neither humble nor arrogant, showing no sign of weakness.

  “All of this… was provoked by them.”

  “They attacked Five Phoenixes. They sought to destroy it with imperial weapons…”

  Gu Mangran said coldly.

  “Are you saying only Five Phoenixes is allowed to lose lives, but these sacred clan saints may not die? What kind of logic is that?!”

  His words stirred an uproar.

  In the Boundless Heaven, the hovering saints radiated furious auras.

  The mention of imperial weapons enraged them—Gu Mangran was deliberately poking the sore spot!

  The Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse smiled warmly, a breeze of spring.

  His gaze shifted past Gu Mangran.

  Toward the Five Phoenixes Continent—now vastly larger—he gave a dismissive smile. Though surprise flickered deep in his eyes, it was mostly calm.

  Compared to a first-tier high-martial world, the current Five Phoenixes still lagged far behind.

  Yet he understood and even admired how difficult it had been for Five Phoenixes to rise from the sole high-martial world in the Void Heaven to one of the top worlds in the Nine Heavens.

  “I stand by my words: Lu Ping’an of Five Phoenixes, your killing intent runs a bit too deep.”

  “These saints were forged through the tempering of the Nine Heavens’ Heavenly Dao. Their deaths would disrupt the balance of the Nine Heavens.”

  “Moreover, these sacred clan saints are deeply connected. Their fall could ignite a cataclysmic war across the Nine Heavens. In the end, all races might suffer the same fate as the Cloud and Dao Clans.”

  His words carried hidden meaning.

  They drifted through the entire Void Heaven.

  Gu Mangran narrowed his eyes. The man wasn’t speaking to him—he was addressing Lu.

  Experts from countless high-martial worlds in the Lower Third Heavens held their breath.

  At this point, they could only watch the drama unfold.

  But how would the peerless Lord Lu of Five Phoenixes respond to this situation?

  A powerhouse from the First Heaven had already invoked the noble cause of preserving the Nine Heavens’ balance. It was clear he intended to morally pressure Lord Lu—and Five Phoenixes.

  In the Boundless Heaven, the Water Clan Sacred Ancestor and others exchanged glances, eyes gleaming.

  Next, they would see Lu Ping’an’s attitude.

  Would he compromise?

  If Lu Ping’an yielded, their imperial weapons might be recoverable. As long as the Heavenly Spirit Clan intervened again, they could reclaim them.

  If he refused… Five Phoenixes would be finished.

  The current landscape of the Nine Heavens could be described as one superpower and many strong contenders.

  The superpower was the sole first-tier high-martial world—the Heavenly Spirit Clan, backed by a living Great Emperor.

  The many contenders were the other nine sacred clans—now with Five Phoenixes added to the list.

  Yet even if the nine sacred clans united, they might not match the Heavenly Spirit Clan.

  The title of Emperor realm alone could crush all opposition.

  If Five Phoenixes truly dared defy the Heavenly Spirit Clan, annihilation would not be far off.

  Moreover, the Heavenly Spirit Clan’s strength did not rest solely on its mysterious ancient emperor.

  The clan possessed an organization called the Sacred Hall—that was the true source of its dominance. The Sacred Hall was a force composed entirely of saints.

  No one knew exactly how many saints it contained.

  But it was certainly not few.

  Five Phoenixes had developed impressively, but the Sacred Hall alone could obliterate it.

  Thus, Lu’s next stance and response would be critical.

  Gu Mangran had naturally considered this.

  He stared at the powerhouse.

  His expression grave, solemn…

  Even faintly tinged with killing intent.

  Because Gu Mangran suspected that the ancient war long ago might have been orchestrated by the Heavenly Spirit Clan from the shadows!

  Back in the primordial era, when ancient emperors strode the heavens in opposition, the Heavenly Spirit Clan had already been formidable.

  Now, with its ancient emperor still alive and hundreds of thousands of years passed, how powerful had the Heavenly Spirit Clan become?

  It was almost unthinkable.

  Gu Mangran took a deep breath and turned to look at the Five Phoenixes Continent.

  He saw Lu, eyes flickering slightly—as though urging Lu to stay calm.

  Everyone awaited Lu’s reply.

  The Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse smiled gently.

  On the Five Phoenixes Continent.

  Lu, in white robes and seated in his Thousand-Bladed Chair, laughed.

  “You jest, sir. These friends were overwhelmingly generous, gifting imperial weapons to Five Phoenixes. I couldn’t refuse even if I wanted to—I was truly touched. I merely wished to keep them for a proper chat. After all, this concerns a deal worth a million Dao reserves. I have to be responsible for them.”

  “Since these friends wish to leave… then let them go.”

  Lu said.

  Toward the end, he waved regretfully.

  A ripple of surprise spread through every corner of the Lower Third Heavens.

  Lord Lu… had compromised?

  He was actually letting these sacred clan saints go.

  The handsome golden-haired powerhouse from the Heavenly Spirit Clan smiled even wider.

  Gu Mangran slowly exhaled in relief. It seemed Young Master Lu still understood the situation clearly.

  In the Boundless Heaven, the Water Clan Sacred Ancestor and the other saints looked displeased.

  They felt every word of Lu’s seemingly sincere speech was mocking them.

  The man was truly infuriating!

  “Sir, our clans’ imperial weapons are trapped in Five Phoenixes… in Lu Ping’an’s hands. The importance of imperial weapons goes without saying. Even if we died, we could not allow them to remain lost. Imperial weapons affect the balance of the Nine Heavens far more than our lives.”

  “So, please uphold justice for us and make Lu Ping’an return the imperial weapons.”

  The Wood Clan Sacred Ancestor spoke, bowing respectfully to the handsome Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse.

  “Oh?”

  “Such a thing happened?!”

  Shock filled the handsome face of the Heavenly Spirit Clan expert.

  “Imperial weapons are treasures left by ancient Great Emperors—matters of grave importance. The Dao reserves within them are linked to the Heavenly Dao of the Nine Heavens. Their significance is self-evident…”

  “My Heavenly Spirit Clan’s mission is to safeguard the balance of the Nine Heavens. Therefore, anything that might disrupt that balance cannot be permitted.”

  He spoke with utmost solemnity.

  His righteous words echoed across the heavens.

  Experts in the Lower Third Heavens were at a loss for words.

  Such was the prestige of the Heavenly Spirit Clan—the foremost sacred clan of the Nine Heavens, the only first-tier high-martial world.

  Even though they knew these imperial weapons had been hurled into Five Phoenixes by the saints themselves in an attempt to destroy it…

  At this moment, no one dared speak up for Five Phoenixes.

  “Lord Lu… don’t you agree?”

  The Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse smiled toward Five Phoenixes. His gaze seemed to span the vast sky, landing on Lu seated on his island.

  “For the balance and stability of the Nine Heavens… Lord Lu, please hand the sacred clans’ imperial weapons over to me. I will safeguard them carefully and restore harmony and stability to the Nine Heavens.”

  “What do you say, Lord Lu?”

  The Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse asked with a warm smile.

  But…

  His words caused everyone’s expression to change.

  The Water Clan Sacred Ancestor, Wood Clan Sacred Ancestor, and the others felt their pupils contract. They looked at the Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse with faint horror.

  “The Heavenly Spirit Clan… wants to seize their imperial weapons?!”

  “I think I understand something. Was our imperial weapons falling into Five Phoenixes part of the Heavenly Spirit Clan’s plot all along?”

  “Has Five Phoenixes been colluding with the Heavenly Spirit Clan from the start? Or is the Heavenly Spirit Clan the true backer behind Five Phoenixes’ rise?!”

  The sacred ancestors’ faces grew extremely grim.

  There was a high chance their weapons falling into Five Phoenixes had been orchestrated by the Heavenly Spirit Clan.

  “What grand ambition. So the Heavenly Spirit Clan’s true goal all along was our sacred clans’ imperial weapons!”

  The Water Clan Sacred Ancestor trembled, feeling like a fish caught in a vast net, unable to escape.

  Experts across the Lower Third Heavens also sensed the shift in atmosphere.

  The mood had turned—and turned again…

  No one had expected the Heavenly Spirit Clan’s target to be the imperial weapons trapped in Five Phoenixes.

  Eight imperial weapons now lay in Five Phoenixes.

  What was the Heavenly Spirit Clan planning?!

  Imperial weapons contained the will and aura of ancient emperors…

  Could all of this be under orders from the ancient Great Emperor within the Heavenly Spirit Clan?

  Related to the revival and return of the ancient Great Emperors?!

  Everyone’s breathing grew rapid.

  They sensed the gravity of the situation.

  Gu Mangran’s pupils contracted sharply.

  “The Heavenly Spirit Clan… has gone too far.”

  Gu Mangran said.

  He looked at the Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse and spoke gravely.

  “These imperial weapons fell into Five Phoenixes, so they belong to Five Phoenixes now…”

  Gu Mangran lifted his chin. Having consumed the divine medicine, he had the confidence to say this.

  The Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse regarded Gu Mangran with some wariness—but only wariness.

  “I have already given my reasons.”

  The man said.

  He turned to Lu, awaiting his stance.

  Given Lu’s earlier compromise, the Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse believed Lu would not refuse this second demand.

  After all, keeping imperial weapons in Five Phoenixes was hardly beneficial.

  He had studied the matter in secret.

  The birth of those peerless ferocious beasts was no fabrication.

  The beings of Five Phoenixes had nearly perished in the age of ferocious beasts—beasts drawn forth by lingering ancient emperor auras in the imperial weapons.

  They had communed with the boundless killing intent and ferocity of the primordial battlefield, fused with Five Phoenixes’ fortune, and formed apocalyptic monsters.

  Thus, keeping imperial weapons in Five Phoenixes would only slowly birth more beasts.

  It offered Five Phoenixes no advantage.

  Therefore, the Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse guessed…

  Lu would not refuse his request.

  Of course, he also believed Lu lacked the courage to refuse.

  The man smiled lightly, eyes bright.

  Silence gripped heaven and earth.

  Silence blanketed the Five Phoenixes Continent.

  Lu Jiulian hovered in the air, expression grave.

  Zhu Long kept her eyes closed, brows beautifully furrowed.

  Letting Dad release these saints was fine—after all, Dad wasn’t some bloodthirsty maniac.

  But asking Dad to hand over imperial weapons he had already claimed…

  That was absolutely impossible.

  Thus, Zhu Long had a feeling things were about to turn violent.

  Above the vast sea.

  On Lake Heart Island in the Origin Lake.

  After hearing the Heavenly Spirit Clan powerhouse’s words.

  The smile gradually faded from Lu’s face.

  He slowly set the Heaven Stealing Tower he had been holding onto the armrest of his wheelchair.

  Leaning back in the Thousand-Bladed Chair, fingers tapping the armrest.

  His face grew cold and silent.

  “Don’t think just because I, Lu Ping’an, have a good temper that you can bully me again and again!”

  “People can be released—they can always be killed later in secret.”

  “But once imperial weapons are gone, they’re truly gone…”

  “So, hand them to you?”

  “Who the hell do you think you’re fooling?”