"What? Skylaw Continent has a new ruler?"
"Great Havenlaw Sovereign has obtained the legacy of the Ancient Heavenly Emperor, taken control of the Ancient Haven Palace, and even ascended to Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme, instantly slaying both the Ghost Emperor and White Tiger King, who were Immortal-Grade Heavenly Supremes?"
"Hiss! Two such towering figures of the Immortal-Grade Heavenly Supreme realm, just like that... dead? The power of a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme is truly terrifying!"
"I feel as if I'm witnessing the rise of a sovereign as mighty as a Heavenly Emperor!"
"Word is that in half a year, Great Havenlaw Sovereign will establish his sect within the Great Havenlaw Domain—and it coincides with his grand wedding to several beauties!"
"I also heard that Mandala, once merely an Earthly Supreme and the ruler of Great Havenlaw Domain, has now become a Heavenly Supreme!"
"That's the advantage of having someone powerful backing you!"
"I wish I had such backing too!"
"You? What major figure would waste their time on you?"
"Great Havenlaw Sovereign's sect inauguration—such a grand occasion, I must witness it firsthand!"
"Count me in!"
...
While Zhou Yi indulged in the beauty of mountains and rivers alongside Qing Yanjing, Jiu You, and Mandala, his name was spreading across the Great Thousand World like a category twelve storm.
Ordinarily, even the fall of a mighty Immortal-Grade Heavenly Supreme who ruled over four continents, like Qin Beixuan, would not necessarily shake the entire Great Thousand World.
After all, the world was simply too vast.
But this time, multiple explosive events coincided.
Firstly, Skylaw Continent was one of the Great Thousand World's ten supercontinents, drawing attention from countless powerhouses. The fact that it now had a ruler was bound to send shockwaves throughout the world.
Secondly, the emergence of the Ancient Haven Palace.
The Heavenly Emperor was one of the Nine Ancient Emperors, a peerless figure of ancient times. Among his legendary Thirty-Six Supreme Divine Arts, One Qi Transforming into Three Purities alone was enough to awe the entire Great Thousand World.
His palace and inheritance appearing in the world again meant the potential birth of another Heavenly Emperor-level figure, making this a momentous event.
Lastly, Zhou Yi's ascension to Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme.
The Great Thousand World had its fair share of Immortal-Grade Heavenly Supremes, but Saint-Grade ones were exceedingly rare.
Even the Ancient Buddha Clan, one of the Five Great Ancient Clans, had only one such figure—Futu Xuan. This alone highlighted the rarity and overwhelming strength of Saint-Grade Heavenly Supremes.
Each one of them stood at the pinnacle of the Great Thousand World. All major powers took heed of their existence, lest they inadvertently provoke disaster upon themselves.
Now, with Skylaw Continent having a sovereign, the Ancient Heavenly Emperor's palace resurfacing, and the rise of Saint-Grade Great Havenlaw Sovereign Zhou Yi, the impact of these combined events was not just additive—it was exponential.
...
Buddha Continent.
One of the Great Thousand World's supercontinents.
As a supercontinent, it should have been home to countless formidable factions. Yet here, only one power reigned supreme—the Ancient Buddha Clan.
The fact that the continent itself bore their name spoke volumes—the Ancient Buddha Clan regarded this vast land as their personal domain.
Yet, their dominance invited no protest.
Because they were the Ancient Buddha Clan—one of the oldest and most profound superpowers of the Great Thousand World.
They possessed both the right and the strength to claim a supercontinent as their own.
At the heart of the Buddha Continent stood a grand, towering city—Futu City, the center of the entire land.
At its core, an awe-inspiring mountain loomed high.
Upon this mountain, an immense plaza stretched out.
At that moment, a figure descended from the sky onto the plaza, his expression anxious.
He was one of the Ancient Buddha Clan's intelligence gatherers.
Given the recent turbulence surrounding Great Havenlaw Sovereign and Skylaw Continent, he had paid extra attention.
After all, a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme had been born.
Even the Ancient Buddha Clan had only one such figure.
Of course, with their deep heritage, they wouldn't fear even two or three Saint-Grade Heavenly Supremes.
But such an event was still significant enough to warrant their attention.
However, to his utter shock, while tracking news of Zhou Yi, he stumbled upon something even more astonishing.
Their clan's very own Saintess, Qing Yanjing, had become involved with Great Havenlaw Sovereign.
Moreover, Heavenly Sovereign Manor had already sent out invitations, with Qing Yanjing's name at the top of the bride list.
This was a matter of earth-shattering importance.
After all, Qing Yanjing was betrothed to Maha Tian, the patriarch of the Maha Ancient Clan.
This was nothing less than a blatant slap to Maha Ancient Clan's face, grinding Maha Tian's dignity into the dirt.
At the same time, it also insulted the Ancient Buddha Clan.
Though their clan had declined in recent years, with only Futu Xuan remaining as a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme, they were still one of the Five Great Ancient Clans, with an unbroken legacy dating back to ancient times.
Did Great Havenlaw Sovereign think he could simply marry their Saintess without their consent? Did he truly believe the Ancient Buddha Clan was beneath his notice?
Provoking two Ancient Clans at once—even for a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme—was courting disaster.
The intelligence officer wasted no time and rushed into the spatial gateway that led to the core domain of the Ancient Buddha Clan—the Futu Realm.
Shortly after he entered, another streak of light descended from the sky.
It was a man and a woman.
The man was strikingly handsome, his long hair flowing as he moved, clad in azure robes that exuded an extraordinary air—like an immortal descended to the mortal realm.
The woman was tall and curvaceous, her figure breathtaking. Her delicate features, framed by exquisite brows and eyes, exuded a regal elegance, embodying the grace of a divine goddess.
Their mere presence left the surrounding experts dumbfounded.
A truly divine couple.
Yet no one dared act recklessly.
The noble, dignified aura of the woman, coupled with the faint yet oppressive surge of her spiritual power, left no doubt—she was a Heavenly Supreme.
Without delay, the man wrapped an arm around the woman's enticing waist and flew towards the spatial gateway atop the mountain, stepping through with ease.
"Wait... I remember now! That's the Saintess!"
"Yes! The Saintess has returned!"
"Who is that man? How did he win the Saintess's favor?"
"Isn't the Saintess engaged to Maha Tian, the Maha Ancient Clan's patriarch? This is bound to cause an uproar!"
Gasps of astonishment spread as more people recognized Qing Yan Jing.
After all, though the residents of Futu City were merely branch members of the Ancient Buddha Clan, many had seen the Saintess before.
And the man beside her was none other than Zhou Yi.
Unaware of recent events, they had yet to realize that Qing Yanjing had already become Zhou Yi's woman.
Despite tensions between Qing Yanjing's lineage and that of Futu Xuan and Xuan Mo, she still had family here.
Among them was her elder sister, Qing Xuan.
To avoid a full-blown confrontation between Zhou Yi and the Ancient Buddha Clan, Qing Yanjing had brought him home—to settle matters with her clan.
Besides, Zhou Yi had an interest in Qing Xuan as well.
A pair of sisters?
Irresistible.
Of course.
Meanwhile, another of Zhou Yi's incarnations had escorted Jiu You back to her clan—to propose marriage.
The remaining two incarnations held fort at the Ancient Haven Palace.
With Qing Yanjing leading the way, Zhou Yi easily entered the Futu Realm.
Before him, boundless mountains stretched endlessly, each crowned with towering black pagodas, standing in an unbroken line into the horizon.
Among them, countless ancient palaces dotted the landscape.
The entire realm was shrouded in an aura of ancient grandeur and timeworn majesty.
Zhou Yi held Qing Yanjing's slender waist as they strolled leisurely, taking in the scenery as if it were his own backyard.
"Stop it!"
Qing Yanjing firmly pressed down on Zhou Yi's mischievous hand, shooting him a fierce glare with her beautiful eyes. Could he not behave for even a moment?
Had he not tormented her enough along the way?
"Heh heh!"
Zhou Yi chuckled, his right arm wrapped around Qing Yanjing while his left hand absentmindedly toyed with the Yin-Yang Iron Spheres, rolling them between his fingers.
Qing Yanjing glanced at him before quickly averting her gaze, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she instinctively squeezed her legs together.
Those wretched things… she truly wanted to throw them away.
Dong! Dong!
Just as Zhou Yi strolled along with ease, suddenly, from the depths of the vast mountain range, the deep and resonant chime of ancient bells echoed from each peak, their sound reverberating across the heavens and earth.
Shortly after, streaks of spiritual radiance shot toward the towering main peak.
"A summons for the strong?"
Zhou Yi gazed at the grand peak and speculated.
"Mm."
Qing Yanjing nodded, her expression solemn. A suspicion crept into her heart—there was an eighty to ninety percent chance that her situation had been exposed.
"Come on, let's take a look."
Zhou Yi held Qing Yanjing close and concealed their presence. His mastery of the Concealing the Heavens, Crossing the Sea divine ability had reached such an extreme level that even the Heavenly Dao itself could be deceived.
With his current cultivation, even if he stood before a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme, the other party wouldn't be able to detect him.
Countless figures of light converged atop the main peak, standing in respectful anticipation.
In the next moment, a figure appeared at the forefront—a white-haired elder. Compared to the other figures radiating boundless spiritual power, his body emitted no discernible energy at all. He looked like an ordinary old man, utterly unremarkable.
But Zhou Yi saw through him at a glance.
Without a doubt, he was a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme.
And within the Ancient Buddha Clan, only one such figure existed—the Grand Elder, Buddha Xuan.
"Greetings, Grand Elder!"
The moment the white-haired elder appeared, all the gathered figures immediately bowed with reverence, their expressions filled with awe.
Within the Ancient Buddha Clan, the highest authority belonged to the clan leader. However, the position had remained vacant for years, as no suitable successor had emerged.
Thus, all these years, it was the Grand Elder who upheld the Ancient Buddha Clan's dominance, preventing its decline. No one within the clan doubted his seniority and influence.
At present, the Ancient Buddha Clan was divided into three major lineages: the Xuan Lineage, the Mo Lineage, and the Qing Lineage.
Since Qing Yanjing's father had perished, the Qing Lineage had fallen into decline, suppressed by both the Xuan and Mo Lineages. Even so, these two factions were also engaged in endless conflict with one another.
It was only thanks to Buddha Xuan's presence that complete chaos had been averted. Without him, the Ancient Buddha Clan might have already descended into turmoil.
However, Buddha Xuan was a rigid old fossil, bound by outdated traditions and incapable of adaptation.
After the greetings concluded, Buddha Xuan began discussing Qing Yanjing's situation.
"Qing Tian, is this the kind of disgraceful conduct your Qing Lineage engages in?!"
A stern voice rang out as Xuan Guang, the head of the Xuan Lineage, furiously rebuked:
"Qing Yanjing knew full well that she was betrothed, yet she still dared to engage in such reckless behavior outside! She has utterly shamed our Ancient Buddha Clan! She must be captured at once and severely punished! As for that ignorant scoundrel of a paramour, he must die—to uphold our clan's dignity!"
Xuan Guang wore a dark robe, his face remarkably handsome, and his gaze seemed as warm as jade. Spiritual light subtly flowed across his body.
Compared to the other elders, his radiance was the faintest. Yet Zhou Yi could immediately tell that this was due to his ability to restrain his power, making his presence akin to a black hole—completely fused with the surrounding world.
This was a clear sign that he was attempting to ascend to the Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme realm.
However, unless he encountered an immense fortune, taking that final step would be incredibly difficult.
"Xuan Guang, you certainly speak with great authority. 'Must die?' Why don't you go and kill that Great Havenlaw Heavenly Sovereign to prove our clan's might, then?!"
Qing Tian, a frail elderly man, lacked Xuan Guang's overwhelming presence, but being publicly chastised still roused his fury.
The Ancient Buddha Clan possessed profound heritage—strong enough to suppress or even slay a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme if one attacked their domain.
But venturing out to kill a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme in their own territory? That was an entirely different matter.
Xuan Guang was merely a step away from ascension, yet that step might take a lifetime.
Until he crossed that threshold, he was merely an Immortal-Grade Heavenly Supreme.
And before a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme, that meant nothing.
"Xuan Guang, bringing Qing Yanjing back for punishment is one thing, but declaring that Zhou Yi must die—that's going too far. Do you think a Saint-Grade Heavenly Supreme is so easily killed?"
Mo Tong, head of the Mo Lineage, wasn't particularly interested in defending Zhou Yi. He merely saw an opportunity to undermine Xuan Guang and retorted:
"If you want to kill the Great Havenlaw Heavenly Sovereign, only the Grand Elder is capable of doing so. But the Grand Elder is the guardian of our clan—how could he move so lightly?"
His underlying implication was clear—Xuan Guang wasn't thinking strategically. Even if Zhou Yi had only recently stepped into the Saint-Grade realm, he wouldn't be an easy target for Buddha Xuan.
And if Buddha Xuan fought Zhou Yi, he might sustain injuries. That would be disastrous for the Ancient Buddha Clan, as Buddha Xuan was the only stabilizing force they had.
"Mo Tong, of course I know the Grand Elder cannot move carelessly. But I never said he should take action!"
Xuan Guang snorted coldly and declared,
"This matter doesn't just concern our Ancient Buddha Clan—it involves the Maha Ancient Clan as well, especially Maha Tian!"
"We can ally with him and let Maha Tian deal with Zhou Yi!"
As soon as these words fell, many experts' eyes gleamed with interest.
Capturing Qing Yanjing was their own affair, but Zhou Yi had done more than just slap them in the face—he had humiliated Maha Tian as well.
The enmity of having one's wife taken was irreconcilable.
For men, honor was above all.
Maha Tian, as the patriarch of the Maha Ancient Clan, had already reached the Saint-Grade realm. How could he tolerate Zhou Yi putting a green hat on him?
(Note: Maha Tian was initially at the mid-Saint-Grade level but has recently regressed to early Saint-Grade.)
"No need—I am already here."
A crisp and refreshing voice suddenly rang out from the void.
Grand Elder Buddha Xuan, Xuan Guang, Mo Tong, and the other Heavenly Supreme Elders were all stunned.
A burst of divine light erupted, exuding a pressure so immense that even Heavenly Supremes felt their hearts tremble.
All eyes turned toward the sky, where two figures slowly emerged from the void.
"Qing Yanjing!"
"The Great Havenlaw Heavenly Sovereign—Zhou Yi?!"
-------
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