The spiritual energy required to advance from the thirteenth to the fourteenth layer of Qi Refining was astronomically vast.
Over these ten thousand years, Lu had quietly remained on the lake island, focused on researching the Indestructible Demon Body.
Yet because his spiritual energy reserves were now linked to the entire Five Phoenixes Great World—the Ninth Heaven, the Primordial Immortal Domain, and the Five Phoenixes Continent all fell within his collection range.
Though Heavenly Human realm energy no longer contributed cuts at his level, breakthroughs to Heavenly Emperor and Quasi-Saint by countless cultivators provided immense yields.
And since beast ancestor inheritors like Nie Changqing and Bai Qingniao were Five Phoenixes natives, Lu gained cuts from them too.
Thus, over these long ages, without active cultivation, Lu's reserves grew steadily—truly strengthening while seated.
Unknowingly, he reached the fourteenth Qi Refining layer.
"Fourteenth layer..."
On the lake island.
Lu in flowing white, hair loose, sat serenely in the Thousand-Bladed Chair, gazing at the calm vast sea. Breeze stirred; peach blossoms swayed—tranquil idyll.
Yet his essence, energy, and spirit subtly transformed.
"Fourteenth layer... the limit?"
Lu narrowed eyes.
Remembered system's jest of one hundred layers.
Now, he smiled wryly.
One hundred layers—terrifying thought.
Fourteenth already arduous—hundred impossible.
"Perhaps... if beyond the gate lies a grander world... one hundred layers possible."
"But in Primordial Starry Sky—at least—no chance."
Lu shook head.
His judgment.
Exhaled slowly—world held only his breath.
Hum...
Vast spiritual energy fluctuations surged around him, enveloping in profound mystery.
Before eyes: fourteenth layer system prompt appeared.
Lu unfazed.
...
Five Phoenixes Continent, boundless sea.
Lu Changkong sensed, hands behind back, emerged from ancient tomb slowly.
"Fan'er... breakthrough?"
Thoughtful—bloodline link clear; felt Lu's advancement.
His own essence refreshed.
"Such effect—Fan'er reached starry sky Saint."
Lu Changkong laughed—my son Lu, finally Saint.
I, Lu Changkong—Saint's father!
Bu Nanxing stood quietly behind; Lu Senior's mood shift—great news.
Likely Young Master Lu from Ninth Heaven emperor-slaying arrow.
Breakthrough?!
Hum...
Instant Lu reached fourteenth.
Lu Changkong's aura soared—Quasi-Saint.
Energized, turned, dragged Bu Nanxing—continue research.
Buzhou Peak.
Zhu Long slowly opened eyes—long chaos-tier; gazed lake island.
"Dad broke through... unusual aura."
Narrowed eyes, dimples curved; turned, supervised little Yinglong cultivation.
Even pondered—grabbed void; Azure, Crimson, Cloud, Mirage Dragons yanked across space.
As big sister—teach these little mudfish true heavenly dragons!
Ascension Land.
Lu Jiulian sat in heavenly court hall, lecturing immortals.
Long Quasi-Saint; dao sounds profound—many enlightened, benefited.
But midway—abrupt halt.
Then refreshing surge; soul elevated.
Lu Jiulian complex.
Unintentionally stronger again.
This time... extraordinary.
Hum!
Endless radiance around; entire Five Phoenixes starry sky phenomena.
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Listening immortals suddenly grasped his dao deeper—more entered comprehension.
That day: Lu Jiulian lectured in heavenly hall—mid-lecture, thought to Sainthood.
Lu Jiulian became Saint—Five Phoenixes gained another human Saint!
Underworld.
Dantai Xuan speechless—sensed Lu Jiulian's vast breakthrough; thought Sainthood momentum immense.
How miss?
But unconcerned—sat in Sea of Suffering.
Book of Life and Death compressed underworld reincarnation.
Compressing—step closer to Sainthood.
...
Five Phoenixes starry sky.
Ordinary star.
Yun Qiangu sat under ancient pine on boulder.
Before: Bai Qingniao, Nie Changqing, Sima Qingshan, Kong Nanfei, Overlord—cross-legged, sensing inheritances.
Yun Qiangu undisturbed—white beard, robes fluttering.
Gazed Five Phoenixes Continent.
Eyes gleamed thoughtful.
Lips curled—delighted; humans ever stronger.
Past weakness: few chaos-tiers.
Now—not just him.
Lu Jiulian, Zhu Long, Tonggu Daoist...
Five Phoenixes added three Saints—congratulations.
Yun Qiangu withdrew gaze—to five comprehending; expectation surged.
If they broke through—five more chaos-tiers.
Dominating Primordial no issue.
Key: against gate apocalypse—hope even without god-demon emperors.
Humanity alone blocking—qualitative leap; eternal prosperity.
Suddenly—Yun Qiangu expression peculiar.
Turned to Ninth Heaven passage.
Brows furrowed—white brows, beard fluttering.
"Again?"
"Undeterred? Wood's lesson insufficient?"
Sensed Fire and Earth Emperors crossing void, at passage.
Unconcealed auras.
As Saint—how miss?
"Continue comprehending."
Rose from pine—glanced five; smiled.
Critical moment—no disturb.
Tore spacetime—stepped in.
Reappeared outside passage.
Tonggu Saint appeared—new Saint; confidence against two emperors.
Lu Jiulian and Zhu Long sensed Yun and Tonggu blocking—no further concern.
Two Saints—Fire and Earth no waves.
Xuan Cang Elder, Old He, Luo Yang, Chai Feng—Quasi-Saints emerged.
Fire Emperor aura like origin flame—brilliant, scorching waves.
Earth Emperor solid ground—heavy, steady.
Two emperors aggressive.
Drew starry races' attention.
Finally... couldn't hold?
Long peace—breaking?
God-demon emperors—no easy resolution.
Human side: Tonggu advanced Saint—vast leap; Yun Qiangu strong.
Exciting clash.
Plus emperor-slaying arrow Lu Ping'an.
Humans not weak—overall stronger; god-demons suicidal?
Long-brewed war—erupting.
Earth and Fire regarded Yun Qiangu and Tonggu calmly.
New Saint Tonggu—dismissed.
Fire raised hand—swept void.
Behind: god-demon armies charged fearlessly under primordial pressure.
God-demon torrent toward passage.
No retreat.
Clans' war—collided fully.
Low, high, immortal god-demons—tidal waves.
Even Yun Qiangu grave.
Starry races gasped.
"God-demons mad!"
But humans no longer bullied.
"War!"
Luo Yang roared—fire-tipped spear raised, killing intent overflowing.
Human Quasi-Saints, prodigies charged.
But not main.
Fire and Earth stepped through chaos—toward passage.
"Fire, Earth Emperors..."
"Why?"
"I said—no need enter. Against gate—wait outside..."
Yun Qiangu.
White beard fluttering— soared with Tonggu.
Four chaos-tiers clashed at passage!
Boom!
Terrifying auras—spacetime chaotic, collapsing.
Passage torn wider.
"War then!"
Yun Qiangu stern—opened alternate battlefield, pulled two emperors in.
Yet...
All expected fierce struggle.
But mirror-shatter sound.
Willow branches spanned heavens, lashing void.
Alternate battle ended swiftly.
Yun Qiangu and Tonggu coughed blood—tumbled out.
Kun Realm Beast tail swaying—mouth agape.
Three chaos auras erupted.
Water, Gold, Wood Emperors!
Three joined Fire and Earth—instant defeat Yun Qiangu; near-exploded new Saint Tonggu...
Saint blood splashed passage.
All uproared.
Yun Qiangu's white beard stained—eyes furious.
"Water and Gold Emperors?! Here?!"
Truly enraged.
Calculated by god-demon emperors.
Wood expected—but chaos-guarding Water and Gold?
"Wanbao Saint... brain flooded?!"
Furious.
Water/Gold vanish—critical—no notify?
Meanwhile.
Instant Water/Gold auras erupted at passage.
Chaos depths.
Human other Saint Wanbao enraged—terrifying aura soared.
"Seek death!!!"
Black-White Queen slightly stunned.
God-demon emperors—what?
Annihilate humans while unguarded?
Insane?!
Critical juncture—such?
Black-White Queen and Wanbao traversed spacetime—hurried to Five Phoenixes.
...
Ninth Heaven passage.
Five god-demon emperors' auras erupted—Primordial Starry Sky dead silent.
None expected five simultaneous against humans!
Beyond imagination!
"Act fast—capture Lu Ping'an."
Wood unrestrained aura.
Seized Wood Elemental God—eighty percent recovered; not weak.
"Wanbao unaware—storm Ninth Heaven..."
Fire said.
Time limited.
No wasting killing injured Yun Qiangu and Tonggu.
Earth leaped to passage—arms braced sides, tore wider.
Ninth Heaven fully exposed.
Five emperors stepped in.
Boom!
Calm Ninth Heaven—swept by five emperor auras.
Lu Jiulian and Zhu Long sensed.
Unexpected Yun and Tonggu defeated.
Five emperors—ambushed; injured.
Powerful primordial sweeps.
Lu Jiulian and Zhu Long shielded Ninth Heaven beings from destructive auras.
"This woman... Black-White Queen's inheritor?"
Fire sensed Zhu Long's black-white mysteries—eyes narrowed.
But target not her—no offending Black-White over one.
Lu Jiulian's Saint aura—unexpected.
But new Saint—nothing.
Five emperors simultaneous—numbers advantage; target Lu.
Wood's words stimulated greatly.
Lu Ping'an likely gate key—or vital to beyond.
Otherwise—gate wouldn't appear during his attack, causing Wood's fall.
"Target Lu Ping'an... ignore others."
Wood cold.
Voice boomed every Five Phoenixes corner.
Primordial cultivators oppressed—emperor pressure; no fight courage.
Five Phoenixes Continent.
Lake island.
Lu slowly opened eyes.
Aura converged slowly.
"Target me?"
Truly surprised—never thought five emperors schemed for him.
"Revenge for Wood's shot?"
"Shouldn't... such effort mere revenge?"
"Or... learned something?"
Narrowed eyes—recalled Fire Elemental God's words.
God-demon emperors... shocking plan.
Hm?
"System exposed? Know five ancestors' system left me gate-related? Thus target me?"
Thought—sky-soaring killing intent.
Gazed five emperors—one step Ninth Heaven, one Primordial, at Five Phoenixes outer.
Lu expression cold.
"Outnumbering?"
Five god-demon emperors—bully human chaos-tiers few?
Lu laughed.
Few things—but avatars many.
Mind stirred.
Lake island—sides: Demon Lord shadow, Monster Lord shadow emerged.
Boom!!!!
Five emperors locked lake island Lu instantly.
Beyond continent—like five heaven-earth giants, overlooking Lu.
Whoosh!
Zhu Long and Lu Jiulian tore space—hovered above continent.
Demon Lord, Monster Lord auras fluctuated—erupted; Saint-level.
Lu on Thousand-Bladed Chair—like silver explosion; levitated.
Zhu Long, Lu Jiulian, Demon Lord, Monster Lord... plus Lu.
Five Saint-levels!
Five god-demon emperors sensed—expressions shifted.
"This one... broke to chaos-tier!"
"Humans... so many chaos-tiers?"
Plan derailed greatly.
Behind five emperors.
Injured Yun Qiangu and Tonggu levitated—blocked retreat.
Seven chaos-tiers...
Each emperor expression changed.
"Still outnumbering? Think humans stagnant these years?"
Yun Qiangu faint smile.
Though surprised Demon/Monster Lords—but scene words needed.
"Merely seven chaos-tiers—trickiest Yun Qiangu injured; others new—we advantage."
Fire stern.
"Advantage?"
Lu peculiar smile.
As Fire spoke.
Ordinary star.
Five auras as beams—soared starry sky.
Nie Changqing gold overflowing—Dragon Slayer killing intent; slash dragons.
Bai Qingniao emerged flames—phoenixes circling.
Sima Qingshan vitality shrouded—casual strokes vivid; shift mountains, stars.
Kong Nanfei laughed—seated snow peak; eloquent amid flurries.
Overlord earth-armored—giant axe; roared galaxies.
"Add us—still advantage?!"
Overlord eyes battle fervent.
Five beast inheritors—stimulated by five emperors' auras.
This moment—shattered bottlenecks; entered chaos-tier.
Entry-level—still chaos; rival Saints.
Five figures—from ordinary star; heaven-propping, upholding starry sky.
Yun Qiangu—uninhibited laughter...
Now secure.
Five god-demon emperors expressions vastly changed.
Another five chaos-tiers?!
Humans twelve chaos-tiers?!
Twelve vs. five... who outnumbers whom?!
This a trap for them?!
