Zhao Xing had not seen the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion for a thousand years.
The first time they met was when he delivered the news of Qing Yuzi's death. The second meeting was now.
The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion had arrived on Tiger Head Star Continent, traveling aboard the Grand Zhou's World Vessel and landing at Yellow Sand Mansion.
"Greetings, Lord of Purple Moon Mansion, Lord of Yuqing Mansion." Zhao Xing respectfully saluted the two mansion lords, while the Grand Zhou's people were left standing aside.
"You two, step out for now." The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion signaled Liu Tianning and Xia Jing to leave. As for Ji Che from Grand Zhou, he wasn't even given a chance to step forward and greet them.
"Yes." Liu Tianning and Xia Jing bowed slightly, then followed Jiu Li out of the reception hall in Yellow Sand Mansion.
Inside the hall, only Du Yun, Zhao Xing, the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion, and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion remained.
"Zhao Xing." The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion went straight to the point. "Do you wish to leave Purple Divine Mansion?"
"Yes, I was about to request permission from you, Lord." Zhao Xing did not attempt to hide his intentions—his desire to leave was already obvious.
"Is it out of fear?" The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion asked. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. The one who killed your teacher is already dead."
"His name was Marquis Heyin. He was a Dao Domain cultivator," the Lord of Yuqing Mansion added. "His direct and collateral descendants have all been eradicated."
Zhao Xing put on a perfectly measured expression of shock and relief—he wasn't supposed to have learned this news so soon, so his reaction had to be well-calculated.
His performance had to be appropriate. After all, he had never even met Qing Yuzi in person—reacting too emotionally would seem forced and insincere.
After a brief moment of silence, Zhao Xing finally spoke, "Now, my teacher can rest in peace."
"Now that your enemy is dead," the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion said seriously, "you no longer need to live in fear, nor do you need to leave Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom. I have already arranged for all of your dynasty's people to obtain official residency—they are now recognized citizens of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom."
Zhao Xing froze in shock. The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion had already handled the residency registration for the entire Grand Zhou dynasty?
Damn it—no! Zhao Xing screamed internally.
The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion continued, "Before your teacher went to Shenluo Barren Domain, I had people manage his estate. Now, after 1.2 million years, his holdings have grown. He had one high-tier World Star, more than three hundred small World Stars and star continents, and liquid assets totaling five trillion Yuanhai Coins."
"In total, his wealth is approximately thirty trillion Yuanhai Coins."
Zhao Xing was once again dumbfounded.
Thirty trillion? Qing Yuzi was that rich?!
After risking his life in Moonfall Mausoleum, Zhao Xing had amassed about 980 billion Yuanhai Coins, which, when converted, equaled 28 billion Red Star Coins—a wealth comparable to a Five Elements Dao Domain cultivator.
But Qing Yuzi—he had thirty trillion?!
"That doesn't make sense. He was only a Second Stage cultivator…" Zhao Xing muttered. But as he thought it through, he understood.
Qing Yuzi hadn't earned this fortune himself—it was the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion's wealth. Over millions of years, with him managing the assets, he had built up this fortune for his beloved disciple.
After a whole era, Qing Yuzi's inheritance had grown exponentially—purely due to the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion's efforts.
For a Dao Domain expert like the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion, a Yin-Yang Dao Domain cultivator, this level of wealth wasn't surprising at all.
No wonder Zhao Yuanzi was so cold toward me before—he must've thought I was here to steal the inheritance… Damn, this is real money. Zhao Xing thought to himself.
Even Qing Yuzi himself probably never expected his estate to grow this massive.
"Now, this wealth belongs to you." The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion fixed his gaze on Zhao Xing.
Hearing this, Zhao Xing forced a smile in his heart.
"Zhao Xing." The Lord of Yuqing Mansion smiled. "Your grandmaster didn't make this decision on a whim. Long ago, he told Su Qin and Mu Luo that if you could reach the Origin Stage within three thousand years, and if you weren't a wicked person, you would inherit your teacher's assets."
Du Yun also hoped Zhao Xing would stay. After all, this kid was blessed with great fortune and talent. "Zhao Xing, don't just stand there. This is a great thing—aren't you going to thank your grandmaster?"
Zhao Xing pretended to be dazed, but internally, he was thinking at lightning speed—how the hell do I refuse this?!
Money was good, but this money was a ticking time bomb.
"Lord," Zhao Xing bowed slightly, carefully choosing his words.
Hearing him call him 'Lord' instead of 'Grandmaster,' the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion's expression darkened slightly.
"I am unworthy of my teacher Qing Yuzi's wealth," Zhao Xing said. "I have done nothing to earn such a vast fortune—it would only invite unnecessary speculation."
"You don't need to explain." The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion's voice was indifferent. "So, you are set on leaving?"
The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion was a strong-willed person—Zhao Xing had gathered that much from their few interactions.
Seeing that being tactful wasn't working, Zhao Xing decided to be direct.
"Yes. I am grateful for your kindness, Lord, but I wish to pursue my own path. I do not want to live under the shelter of another's strength."
"Hmph." The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion flicked his sleeve and vanished on the spot.
Zhao Xing's face tensed slightly.
However, Du Yun and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion remained.
"Zhao Xing, you don't need to be nervous." The Lord of Yuqing Mansion looked at him with a complicated expression. "Back then, your teacher said something similar before taking on his mission to the Barren Domain."
I reminded the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion of Qing Yuzi? Zhao Xing felt a slight sense of relief—he had expected him to be angry at his refusal.
But he had no choice. He had to leave, and being upfront about it was better than sneaking away.
"The small divine ability your teacher created—Purple Light Eight Epochs—is now only known by you." The Lord of Yuqing Mansion sighed. "When he looks at you, the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion sees his disciple. If you stay in Purple Divine Mansion, it would give him some solace."
Zhao Xing understood her meaning, but he simply couldn't stay.
He remained silent, quietly listening.
"You have broken through to the Third Stage, but in this universe, that barely qualifies as self-preservation." The Lord of Yuqing Mansion spoke gently, her expression kind. "If you stay in Purple Divine Mansion, you will still have the chance to grow on your own."
"The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion will not hinder your growth; he only wishes to help you."
"You see, Du Yun has also entered Origin Heaven Palace, but he has not left Purple Divine Mansion or Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom. This proves that your personal aspirations do not conflict with being a member of Purple Divine Mansion."
Du Yun nodded. He, too, could not understand why Zhao Xing insisted on refusing.
Zhao Xing remained silent. Setting aside the issue with Dongyan Ancient Clan, he indeed had no compelling reason that could convince them.
"Lord," Zhao Xing cupped his hands toward Du Yun and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion. "I seek to walk my own path, and in the future, my destination is Red Star Empire. Therefore, I can no longer be a member of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom or Purple Divine Mansion."
"I ask for your understanding."
Du Yun nodded and said nothing more.
The Lord of Yuqing Mansion sighed and no longer tried to persuade him.
"As they say, each person has their own ambitions. Since you have made up your mind, neither I nor the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion are unreasonable people."
Zhao Xing expressed his gratitude. "Thank you for your understanding. I am willing to repay a thousandfold the resources I used back on Qingyu Star."
Back when he was on Qingyu Star, he had used a considerable amount of free resources to advance from Ascension Stage to Primordial Stage. Now that he was leaving, he was willing to compensate them generously.
"Money is not the main issue," the Lord of Yuqing Mansion said.
"Then, Lord, please give your instructions." Zhao Xing bowed.
"Purple Light Eight Epochs is a divine ability created by Qing Yuzi," the Lord of Yuqing Mansion said. "According to procedure, before you leave, you must abolish this ability."
Seeing Zhao Xing's hesitation, Du Yun interjected, "Lord of Yuqing Mansion, is there no alternative? I wish to plead on Zhao Xing's behalf. Besides, Qing Yuzi himself would not have wanted his divine ability to be destroyed."
The Lord of Yuqing Mansion was slightly surprised—she had not expected Du Yun to speak up for Zhao Xing.
How long had Zhao Xing been here? Yet he had already earned Du Yun's favor.
After a brief moment of silence, she seemed to be communicating with the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion through voice transmission. "Since the Lord of Yellow Sand Mansion is personally requesting this, we will allow him to keep it. However, he must leave a recorded version of Purple Light Eight Epochs in Purple Moon Mansion."
"No problem. Thank you, Lord." Zhao Xing nodded. This would only take a little over ten years—a price he could afford to pay.
"Don't be so quick to thank me," the Lord of Yuqing Mansion added. "You may keep Qing Yuzi's divine ability, but Three Divinities Destiny Palace, which Wan'er learned, is the real problem—it must be abolished."
Hearing this, Du Yun frowned. "You even learned Three Divinities Destiny Palace?"
"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded.
The Lord of Yuqing Mansion explained, "Lord of Yellow Sand Mansion, explain this to Zhao Xing so he doesn't think we are deliberately targeting him."
With that, she waved her sleeve and vanished in a streak of light, leaving the hall.
After she left, Du Yun held the Star Realm Orb in his hand and took some time to review the situation.
After the time it took for an incense stick to burn, he finally spoke.
"Zhao Xing, the Three Divinities Destiny Palace you learned is a huge problem."
"It is an exclusive divine ability of the Reincarnation Divine Palace, derived from the great divine ability Reincarnation."
"Su Wan'er was granted permission to learn it because, during a conference jointly held by the Ancient Kingdom Alliance of the Barren Domain and the Reincarnation Divine Palace, she displayed exceptional talent, earning a rare opportunity to study it."
"But the permission was granted to Su Wan'er, not you. Do you understand the difference?"
"Yes, I understand." Zhao Xing nodded.
"You ascended from the Barren Domain, so you wouldn't have known this. The Reincarnation Divine Palace will not kill you, but they will forcibly abolish your divine ability," Du Yun said.
"Lord, is there any way to negotiate?" Zhao Xing asked.
"It will be difficult." Du Yun shook his head. "Originally, the Ancient Kingdom Alliance and the Reincarnation Divine Palace had a good relationship. But later… the Reincarnation Divine Palace lost a Derivation Monument, and part of the blame fell on the Ancient Kingdom Alliance. I won't go into details."
"Since then, the relationship between the two factions has worsened. The Reincarnation Divine Palace no longer grants learning rights as easily as before."
"Learning without authorization means it must be abolished."
"There's no room for negotiation anymore."
Zhao Xing pondered. "Lord, as a member of Origin Heaven Palace, could you find someone to intercede? I am willing to pay the price."
Abolishing Three Divinities Destiny Palace meant losing his Fate Soul, Earth Soul, and Heaven Soul.
Losing this soul-based divine ability would cause severe harm—even risking exposure of his secrets.
Not just his own secrets, but also the secrets of Dongyan Ancient Clan.
If someone truly touched his soul, Zhao Xing would not survive.
Du Yun shook his head. "If you were still in Purple Divine Mansion, with the connections of the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion, they could at least help delay it. But if you leave…"
Zhao Xing understood. If he left, not only would they not help him, but they would also ensure the abolition process was carried out—because the one who leaked the ability was Su Wan'er. If Zhao Xing ran away, Purple Divine Mansion would have to take responsibility.
No wonder both the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion had come personally—this was the real issue.
"Lord, you are a member of Origin Heaven Palace," Zhao Xing bowed deeply. "If you could find someone to help, is there any possible way? What price would need to be paid?"
Du Yun originally had no intention of getting involved. Matters concerning the Reincarnation Divine Palace were not easy to interfere with.
Those who upheld their doctrine did not care about money—they only sought to uphold the ideals of the Reincarnation Divine Palace.
However, he recalled Great Scholar Zoren's words and decided to nod. "Wait a moment."
He once again held the Star Realm Orb and closed his eyes.
Zhao Xing waited for three full days. After those three days, Du Yun finally opened his eyes.
"Lord, what is the result?"
"Zhao Xing, I have inquired within Origin Heaven Palace," Du Yun said. "To find someone willing to intercede for you will require an enormous price—one that you might not be able to afford."
"Please, Lord, speak frankly."
Du Yun continued, "I will act as the intermediary without taking a fee, but you must pay five trillion Red Star Coins. And even then, they are only willing to help you delay the matter—they cannot resolve it completely. After the Reincarnation Divine Palace lost the Derivation Monument, there is barely any room for negotiation left."
"Five trillion Red Star Coins?" Zhao Xing's breath caught.
That price was absurdly high. It was enough to post a mission in the Dark Hall to assassinate a Yin-Yang Dao Domain cultivator.
Du Yun said, "I think it's better if you just let go of that divine ability. I can guarantee that the process of abolishing the divine ability will be safe and without incident."
Five trillion Red Star Coins? Just to buy some time to keep a minor soul-based divine ability? Du Yun thought it was a waste of resources.
With such a troublesome situation, he naturally suggested that Zhao Xing accept the abolition.
"Abolishing a soul-based divine ability just means someone will see a bit of your memories," Du Yun continued. "Reincarnation Divine Palace won't casually leak others' privacy."
From Du Yun's perspective, Zhao Xing had only recently ascended. There couldn't be anything too valuable or secretive in his memories.
"If I oversee it and let the Reincarnation Divine Palace assign someone for the process, rather than them directly capturing you," Du Yun explained, "they will appoint a scholar to cast the Spirit of Forgetting on you. Your cultivation won't be affected, nor will it harm your foundation."
Hearing this, Zhao Xing bitterly smiled.
To be fair, Du Yun was already being very considerate. If it were anyone else—like Purple Bone, for example—they would have accepted such an offer without hesitation.
But for Zhao Xing, that was absolutely impossible—it would be no different from walking to his own death.
Trying to join the Reincarnation Divine Palace now was also out of the question. It wasn't a matter of talent or ability.
The reason the Reincarnation Divine Palace lost the Derivation Monument in the first place was because of an internal traitor!
The great divine ability Reincarnation was the fundamental spell that controlled the Derivation Monument. It was by exploiting this spell that the theft was successfully carried out.
In his previous life, players used this exact method to steal the Derivation Monument.
And now, the Reincarnation Divine Palace was conducting massive purges and internal investigations. There was no way they would recruit new members at a time like this.
Zhao Xing hadn't expected that another Derivation Monument had been lost in recent years. If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have learned this ability at all.
Originally, he had planned to use this knowledge to steal tomb relics from the Reincarnation Divine Palace in the future. But now, some wise sage had beaten him to it, and by the time he entered the Cosmic Expansion Version, he had walked straight into their crackdowns.
Zhao Xing was completely speechless.
"This is ridiculous... I haven't even stolen anything yet, and I'm already under investigation?"
He sighed.
Seeing Zhao Xing's reaction, Du Yun couldn't help but chuckle.
Right now, Zhao Xing looked just like an unsuccessful tomb thief. Du Yun had seen too many of these types before.
But could this kid really have been planning to steal from the Reincarnation Divine Palace?
"Lord, how much time do I have left?" Zhao Xing asked. No point in dwelling on what had already happened—he needed to solve the problem instead.
Zhao Xing had never been one to wallow in regret. Find the problem, solve the problem—that was his way.
Du Yun immediately understood what Zhao Xing was really asking. The fact that he was still trying to protect his privacy only further confirmed Zoren's prophecy.
However, Du Yun had no intention of prying further. Why wouldn't he be curious? Zoren had said this matter was a life-or-death situation. Although Du Yun found that a bit exaggerated, it was best not to dig too deep. It was enough to do a small favor and build goodwill.
"Right now, the Reincarnation Divine Palace has very few stationed members in other countries," Du Yun explained. "Aside from Seekers and Path Guardians, the Reincarnation Divine Palace is essentially in seclusion."
"Your case isn't urgent, but when the Spirit Domain Conference is held, someone will definitely come looking for you."
"The Spirit Domain Conference?" Zhao Xing frowned. "It's being held in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom?"
"Most likely." Du Yun nodded.
Hearing this, Zhao Xing felt a ripple in his heart.
The Spirit Domain Conference was held once per epoch. In his previous life, by the time he had arrived, the Spirit Domain Conference had already ended—and it had not been held in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom.
Once again, his past life memories and the present reality were diverging. But Zhao Xing had no time to dwell on that.
Because after checking the records, he realized that the Spirit Domain Conference was scheduled for 1,045 years from now.
By convention, the official location would be announced 45 years beforehand.
"One thousand and forty-five years... just past the thousand-year deadline," Zhao Xing felt as if some invisible force was keeping him stuck in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom.
If he didn't find a way, he would have to stay here for another 1,045 years, waiting for the Reincarnation Divine Palace to come and execute the divine ability abolition process.
Running wasn't an option—the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion would never let him escape.
With Du Yun standing right in front of him, Zhao Xing didn't dwell on it further. Instead, he simply cupped his hands and said, "Thank you, Lord. I understand now."
"Before I leave, I will gather five trillion Red Star Coins so that Purple Divine Mansion won't be put in a difficult position."
…
After Zhao Xing left, Du Yun pondered for a moment, then flew toward a side hall.
Inside were the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion.
"Both Lords," Du Yun said, "Zhao Xing has already made up his mind to leave Purple Divine Mansion."
A flicker of disappointment flashed in the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion's eyes, but in the end, she said nothing.
The Lord of Yuqing Mansion spoke instead. "Then let him return to Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom and stay there for another thousand years, waiting for the Spirit Domain Conference to be held."
A forced relationship wouldn't work. Since there was no emotional bond to persuade Zhao Xing to stay, they had no choice but to follow official procedures.
"Once his divine ability is abolished, he can go wherever he wants."
"Both Lords," Du Yun cupped his hands, "forcing him to return is essentially imprisoning him. I don't think this is appropriate."
"Du Yun, what are you suggesting?"
"He still wants to remain in Tiger Head Star Continent for now."
"This involves the Reincarnation Divine Palace—it's not up to him to decide," the Lord of Yuqing Mansion said. "If he tries to escape, we cannot afford the consequences."
"I will take responsibility," Du Yun said. "I have the Thousand Li Yellow Sand Crossing and can keep an eye on him."
"Du Yun, this is the second time you've spoken up for him," the Lord of Yuqing Mansion observed. She was curious—why was Du Yun going out of his way for Zhao Xing?
"He previously gave me a stable void passageway into Moonfall Mausoleum," Du Yun replied.
"Perhaps he doesn't even realize how valuable that information is. Though I rewarded him with money, I still feel somewhat indebted."
This was a convenient excuse.
In reality, there was no actual debt—Du Yun had already paid Zhao Xing fairly for the passage information. He just didn't want to explain Zoren's prophecy to the two Lords.
Although Yellow Sand Mansion, Purple Moon Mansion, and Yuqing Mansion were part of the same organization, they operated independently.
Du Yun had some friendship with the two Lords, but not much—after all, he and the Lords of Purple Moon Mansion and Yuqing Mansion were not from the same era.
"There's no need to say much if we're not that familiar."
Yu Qing and Purple Moon exchanged a glance, seemingly communicating silently before responding. "Since Du Yun is willing to guarantee it, we'll leave it to him to handle."
If the current Lord of Purple Divine Mansion failed to break through life and death and enter the Reincarnation Realm, he would have at most two or three more epochs to live. The future leader would inevitably be Du Yun, the officially designated next mansion lord, whose position was unshakable. Naturally, both of them had to give face to the future mansion lord.
"Alright, thank you both," Du Yun cupped his hands in gratitude.
…
"Fck, fck, fck, fck, f*ck!"
Jing Yan was in the middle of drilling a hole into a puppet when he heard the outburst. He immediately removed his mask and looked up.
"Zhao Xing, why are you cursing the moment you walk in? Who pissed you off?"
Jing Yan leaped off the puppet's shoulder, and mid-air, he changed into a fresh set of clothes before landing gracefully.
His good brother had now become a marquis with a lavish mansion to live in for free. Naturally, Jing Yan wasn't going to waste money on his own place—he had shamelessly moved into the Marquis of Wuling's Mansion as well.
Zhao Xing opened his mouth but ultimately sighed in frustration. "F*ck everyone."
Jing Yan immediately began undoing his clothes.
Zhao Xing: "…"
Seeing Zhao Xing smirk, Jing Yan buttoned his clothes back up and patted Zhao Xing on the shoulder. "Bro, you look better when you smile."
"I'm just speechless."
Jing Yan conjured two smoking pipes out of thin air. "Then don't talk, take a puff."
"This is an old imperial brand, Beiye—the name says it all. Strong and wild. My stash is running low, though."
Zhao Xing took one, and with a snap of Jing Yan's fingers, the thin pipes ignited with faint flames.
Hiss…
Ha…
Neither of them spoke as they puffed away beside the mechanical puppet.
By the time they had finished, Zhao Xing felt much better.
"If you're good now, I'll get back to work."
"Mm."
Zhao Xing's figure flickered as he vanished into the mansion's back courtyard.
At that moment, most of Great Zhou's key figures were gathered there. Upon seeing Zhao Xing return, they immediately stepped forward to greet him.
"Big brother."
"The Grand Shennong has arrived."
"Greetings to the Grand Shennong."
Ji Che and the officials all rose to their feet.
Zhao Xing returned the courtesy. "Your Majesty, my lords."
Ji Che quickly helped Zhao Xing up. "Big brother, please, there's no need for such formalities. This isn't court—why bow?"
They were no longer in the Xuanhuang Realm. After entering this new world, many of Great Zhou's cultivators had stepped into higher cultivation realms. Ji Che's perspective had also changed.
He knew very well that if Zhao Xing, Liu Tianning, Xia Jing, and the others wanted to leave, he wouldn't be able to stop them.
The fact that they still treated him with respect and maintained the courtesies of monarch and minister was purely out of sentiment.
He certainly didn't want to act like a high-and-mighty emperor.
"Everyone, please take your seats and let's talk."
At Ji Che's words, the group sat down.
They hadn't just been sitting there idly—Yuan Sishili had made sure food and drinks were served.
However, no one had been able to eat properly. The incidents along their journey had given both Ji Che and Liu Tianning a bad feeling.
Now that Zhao Xing had returned safe and sound, everyone finally relaxed, allowing themselves to enjoy the meal before them.
"Great Zhou's officials are always on edge, walking on thin ice," Zhao Xing observed at a glance.
Over the past thousand years, the more Great Zhou had seen of the universe, the more they had grown in reverence for its mysteries.
Geniuses emerged endlessly—even the most ordinary people they encountered were far beyond their reach.
Treasures with unfathomable power were everywhere, far beyond their imagination.
And now, with Zhao Xing proposing another migration, many were reminded of their first entry into Starhail Pass.
Where would they go next? What fate awaited them? Could Zhao Xing still shield them from the storms ahead? Could they even protect Great Zhou in return? No one knew.
"Zhao Xing, on my way here, I heard a rumor," Liu Tianning said. "The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion intends to transfer Qing Yuzi's wealth to you. With such a heavy fortune on your shoulders, how can you possibly leave?"
"Teacher, don't worry," Zhao Xing replied. "Purple Divine Mansion won't stop me anymore. That's already settled."
Indeed, the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion had agreed not to stop Zhao Xing from leaving. And now, Du Yun had personally guaranteed that the Reincarnation Divine Palace's divine ability abolition process would be overseen under his watch.
After paying one thousand times the compensation and passing down Eight Epochs of Purple Light, Zhao Xing and the two mansion lords no longer had any ties.
The Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion had no idea what Zhao Xing had actually chosen. They never even considered the possibility that Zhao Xing would want to keep the Three Divinities Destiny Palace.
His conversation with Du Yun had been completely private.
"But we can't leave just yet," Zhao Xing continued. "There are still matters to settle."
"After officially severing my ties with Purple Divine Mansion, I'll remain here for a while under my title as the Marquis of Wuling in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom."
As for how long—Zhao Xing wasn't sure. But as long as he was alive, he wouldn't be trapped forever.
"Big brother, are we really leaving?" Purple Bone asked. "I thought that person was already dead?"
"You want to stay?" Zhao Xing looked at Purple Bone.
"Yeah, I do." Purple Bone was honest. "I think staying in Purple Divine Mansion isn't a bad idea."
At his words, everyone paused mid-bite.
Although they had followed orders to come here, many still didn't fully understand why they had to leave.
King Luohou, Ye Yukong, Qin Feng, and Lu Ying were all confused about this decision.
However, Xia Jing, Chen Shijie, and Long Xiao unconditionally trusted Zhao Xing.
"The Red Star Empire is better suited for our development," Zhao Xing explained. "But if anyone believes they have better opportunities elsewhere, I won't stop them. However, we must make things clear—those who choose to stay will no longer be part of Great Zhou."
"Life and death are fate, riches and honor are in the heavens. If anyone chooses to leave, they may take a parting sum from Great Zhou. His Majesty and I will provide them with resources sufficient to cultivate to the Origin Realm." Zhao Xing looked around the table. "Tonight's banquet shall serve as a farewell feast."
Zhao Xing didn't explain further.
And honestly, he couldn't.
No one spoke.
They were confused, but none of them truly considered leaving.
The main reason was simple—they were too weak. Most of them were only in the Spirit Bridge Stage, and even those who had reached the Origin Realm were merely at the bottom rung of society, even as citizens of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom.
The only ones who could truly stand on their own were Liu Tianning, Xia Jing, and Purple Bone.
That was because they weren't just Origin Realm cultivators—they had also joined major forces within Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom.
"Purple Bone." Zhao Xing glanced at him. "You seem to have something to say?"
Purple Bone hesitated for a moment, then stood up and bowed deeply toward Zhao Xing and Ji Che. "Your Majesty, Big Brother, I want to stay in Purple Divine Mansion."
Zhao Xing sighed internally but still made an effort to dissuade him. "Alone in Purple Divine Mansion, you might be bullied. Right now, I'm at the Third Stage Rule Domain, so I can protect you, but are you sure you want to stay?"
Purple Bone remained in his bowing posture. "After I broke through to the Origin Realm, Lord Tian Qingzi took a liking to me. He entrusted me with Puta's inheritance and even promised to personally guide me."
"Big Brother, perhaps Red Star Empire is better, but I don't want to keep wandering endlessly."
At that moment, Zhao Xing looked at Purple Bone and couldn't help but recall his own rejection of the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion.
It had been a long time since they last met, and Purple Bone's circumstances had completely changed.
Now that he had reached the Origin Realm, he had proven himself to be outstanding—though in truth, he had always been exceptional. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to inherit Puta's legacy in the path of artifact forging.
Having passed Lord Tian Qingzi's test of character, Purple Bone was officially granted the inheritance.
Once a man has wealth, he no longer wishes to live in hardship.
If he went to Red Star Empire, he'd have to start from scratch again. It was understandable that he didn't want to go through that struggle.
"Alright." Zhao Xing nodded. Ji Che reached out and helped Purple Bone up, and the three of them shared a drink together.
At the end, Zhao Xing spoke. "Purple Bone, do you still remember what I promised you back then?"
Purple Bone nodded solemnly. "I remember."
Zhao Xing patted him on the shoulder. "About eight hundred years from now, go to the Yuan Cavern Star System—the former site of the Falan Dynasty. I'll leave you a letter there."
He couldn't bear to watch Purple Bone march to his death, so he gave him a chance to escape.
"Alright." Purple Bone nodded. "Big Brother, I will definitely go."
Zhao Xing didn't know if Purple Bone would actually go or not.
But he had already done everything he could.
If Purple Bone chose not to go, then that would be his fate.
Purple Bone drank two more cups before striding away.
"Does anyone else want to leave?" Zhao Xing asked.
No one spoke.
"Then let the music play," Zhao Xing said, "and let the dancing continue."
All of Great Zhou's people had been arranged to stay at Marquis of Wuling's Mansion.
Aside from Purple Bone, the only one still out in the wild was Yun Tiandao, who was roaming beyond the borders.
Zhao Xing couldn't reach him, but he left him a message.
The rest of Great Zhou's citizens lived inside the boundary ship, where cultivation resources were stable for the time being.
Zhao Xing paid off the breach-of-contract fees for Xia Jing, King Luohou, and the others at Tianxing Martial Academy, freeing them from obligations and making them independent cultivators.
Next, Zhao Xing arranged cultivation plans for Liu Tianning, Long Xiao, Chen Shijie, Ye Yukong, Ji Si, Xia Jing, King Luohou, Lu Ying, and Yin Xiu.
Now that he had money, many things became much easier.
Before, everyone had been pinching pennies, stretching every resource to its limit.
Even Ye Yukong's Gathering Spirit Array had to be activated and deactivated on a strict schedule to maximize efficiency.
But now?
Zhao Xing directly purchased a top-tier Gathering Spirit Array from Yuanhai Palace and installed it in Marquis of Wuling's Mansion.
Now, they could use it freely!
"Holy sh*t, is this for real?" Ye Yukong's eyes widened when he saw the new training facility. "It runs non-stop for twelve hours?"
"Brother, if I'm not mistaken…" Xia Jing turned to the mechanist overseeing the installation. "This is a high-grade Gathering Spirit Array, right?"
"It's a top-tier Gathering Spirit Array."
Jing Yan, chewing on his smoking pipe, glanced at Xia Jing. "Kid, you must be Xia Jing, huh?"
"Uh, yeah. And you are…?" Xia Jing had thought Jing Yan was just another technician.
"Jing Yan. Imperial citizen." Jing Yan nodded. "I heard Zhao Xing mention you. He said you can't stand the smell of fish. That true?"
Xia Jing: "…"
Jing Yan was surprised because he could sense a flicker of disgust in Xia Jing's heart.
What a rare case. Someone who couldn't even hear about it?
"In that case, you better stay away from the northern side of the array." Jing Yan grinned. "The spirit energy there is so refined, it condenses into fish-like shapes."
"Hahaha! Brother Xia, you HAVE to check it out!" Long Xiao laughed.
"You must be Long Xiao." Jing Yan turned to the grinning Long Xiao.
"That's right. The name stays the same, no matter where I sit or stand!"
"Respect, respect. The sword master of unconventional paths." Jing Yan gave him a thumbs-up.
"Haha, you flatter me!" Long Xiao beamed, thinking Zhao Xing must have spoken highly of him.
He assumed that Jing Yan was praising his unique swordsmanship.
But in reality, only Zhao Xing knew what Jing Yan really meant—
Jing Yan wasn't impressed by Long Xiao's swordsmanship.
What he truly admired was Long Xiao's courage to marry a dragon woman, embarking on a love that transcended races.
"And that means you must be Chen Shijie?" Jing Yan looked at the man standing beside Long Xiao, dressed in blue robes.
Chen Shijie had trained in Treasure Mountain Technique, and his aura resembled Zhao Xing's.
"That's me." Chen Shijie cupped his hands in greeting.
He was much more reserved than Long Xiao.
He could tell that Jing Yan's strength wasn't far from Zhao Xing's.
"A single Heavenly Origin Pear, and you're already on the verge of breaking into the Origin Realm. Good eye, brother." Jing Yan chuckled, noting that Chen Shijie had already half-stepped into the Origin Realm. Even without additional resources, he was likely to break through soon.
"You flatter me." Chen Shijie bowed politely again.
"By the way, who is Ji Si?" Jing Yan scanned the crowd.
"I am Ji Si." Ji Si stepped forward and bowed slightly toward Jing Yan.
"A master of both history and fate, studying the past while glimpsing the future—impressive, impressive."
Ji Si had chosen to pursue both the path of a historian and the path of a fate master.
Jing Yan had heard Zhao Xing mention the legendary figures known as "Heaven's Deal True Lord" and "Trade True Lord".
Now, seeing Ji Si in person, he was immediately intrigued.
"So tell me—" Jing Yan's eyes gleamed. "What new tricks do you have up your sleeve?"
Ji Si glanced at Zhao Xing, and the latter nodded slightly.
Zhao Xing was also curious to see if Ji Si had developed any new tricks over the past few centuries.
Ji Si then reached into his robe and pulled out a small, white slip of paper. It was pure white, without any blemishes, and emitted a faint glow.
Jing Yan raised an eyebrow. "What is that?"
Ji Si replied, "It's a fusion spell that combines Fate and History, carried by a Realm Star Dao Weapon. I call it the 'Leave of Absence Slip.'"
"It's just a little experiment I stumbled upon."
"What do you mean?" Jing Yan scratched his head, looking confused.
Ji Si explained, "I once worked at a merchant guild in Qingyu Realm Star. I used this on a First Stage Origin Realm cultivator with the intention of making him forget a small mistake I had made."
"But unexpectedly, while he still remembered my mistake, he inexplicably granted me a day off instead."
"Uh…" Jing Yan's expression turned strange. "Can I try it?"
"Of course." Ji Si walked over to him. "It now comes in two versions."
He pointed to the mechanists who were currently installing the formation array.
"If you use it on them, they will suddenly feel like slacking off. They'll only want to take a break and have fun, drastically reducing their work efficiency."
"But if one of them uses it on you, you will feel the urge to grant them leave."
"It's designed so that the front side affects the employer, while the back side affects the employee. Be careful not to mix them up."
Jing Yan couldn't wait any longer. He stealthily activated the Realm Star Dao Weapon – Leave of Absence Slip and used it on one of the mechanists.
As expected, the mechanist immediately began slacking off, significantly slowing down the progress of the formation installation.
Jing Yan then called the mechanist over and handed him the Dao Weapon, letting him use it on him instead.
His expression instantly became priceless.
"You son of a—I actually feel like giving this guy a paid vacation!"
Jing Yan snapped his fingers, forcibly banishing the ridiculous thought from his mind.
The mechanist, now filled with anticipation, asked, "My lord, does this mean I can go rest now?"
Jing Yan laughed. "What kind of daydreaming nonsense is that? Get back to work."
He dispelled the slip's effect on the mechanist.
"Y-Yes, sir." The mechanist's face fell, but he obediently returned to work.
Zhao Xing looked at Ji Si's Leave of Absence Slip, his expression just as peculiar.
At that moment, he and Jing Yan had the exact same thought: You are an absolute genius!
Great Zhou was truly fortunate to have you!
Ji Si sighed. "My lord, you overpraise me. Its effect is far too limited—it only works if the target has an established employer-employee contract, and it can be easily dispelled by someone as strong as you. My original intent was completely different, so in the end, I basically wasted a precious Realm Star Dao Weapon material."
Ji Si had attempted to combine Dao Weapons with spells, but the outcome had fallen short of his expectations.
While it was a clever gimmick that amused Jing Yan, it wasn't exactly practical in real combat.
"Who says it's useless? There's no such thing as a 'useless' spell in this world," Jing Yan chuckled. "I have high hopes for you. Keep refining it. Who knows? One day, your spell might actually fool a Dao Domain Realm cultivator."
Zhao Xing then asked, "Ji Si, what was your original intention?"
Ji Si hesitated slightly. "Since I've been cultivating both history and fate, my goal was to confuse the past and future, making people unable to distinguish what year or era they are in, ultimately disrupting their soul's perception of time."
The others laughed at the absurdity of it, but Zhao Xing did not.
Because Ji Si's idea was eerily similar to the methods used by some of the most powerful beings.
In his previous life, he had never heard of Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, which likely meant that someone had erased it from history.
That was at least the power of a Reincarnation Realm historian.
Could Ji Si truly possess the potential of an Emperor?
"Ji Si, you might be better suited to become a historian," Zhao Xing remarked. "You should consider spending more time honing that aspect."
"Of course, if you want to dual cultivate, that's fine too. After all, your talent as a fate master is also exceptional."
Ji Si's fate mastery was indeed remarkable. He had dual cultivated two paths, and both were already close to reaching the First Stage Rule Domain.
"Grand Shennong, I will remember your words." Ji Si nodded, his gaze flickering with thought.
"Hey, don't overthink it now." Zhao Xing smiled and waved his hand. "Just head inside and start training."
"This will be your first time cultivating inside a top-tier Gathering Spirit Array, so you might experience Spirit Intoxication Syndrome. Take it easy," Jing Yan warned. "If you feel any discomfort, let me know."
"Thank you, Lord Jing Yan." The people of Great Zhou cupped their hands in unison.
"Haha, no need to be so formal." Jing Yan wasn't one to put on airs, and part of that was because of Zhao Xing.
The other reason was that every single person from Great Zhou was exceptionally talented.
Even though they had lacked resources, in just a thousand years, they were already on the verge of breaking into the Origin Realm.
Xia Jing and Liu Tianning had even broken through already. That was impressive.
Before, their growth had been restricted by limited resources. But now that they had access to abundant cultivation materials, their progress would likely be astonishing.
And sure enough, Jing Yan's prediction was spot on.
In just one month, eight people from Great Zhou successfully advanced from the Spirit Bridge Stage to the Origin Realm.
The eight were Long Xiao, Chen Shijie, Ji Si, Ye Yukong, King Luohou, Lu Ying (mechanist), Wei Hong (Shennong priest), and Yin Xiu.
By the second month, Liu Tianning reached the peak of the First Stage Rule Domain and stepped into the Second Stage Rule Domain.
Emperor Ji Che also entered the Second Stage Rule Domain.
Meanwhile, Xia Jing quickly achieved the peak of the First Stage Rule Domain.
However, none of them became overly reliant on the Gathering Spirit Array's pure energy absorption. Once they broke through, they immediately shifted focus to refining their techniques, ensuring a balance between power and skill.
People like that tended to be formidable in actual combat.
Jing Yan often checked in out of curiosity, but he soon realized he didn't need to micromanage at all.
The people of Great Zhou were incredibly self-disciplined—even their cats and dogs were self-disciplined!
"Even the Spirit Illusion Goat is about to ascend." Jing Yan marveled. "Zhao Xing, you're really willing to go all out, huh? A cat, a dog, and a goat—all training inside a top-tier Gathering Spirit Array."
"But be careful. It's fine while they're here, but once they're outside the ancient kingdom, if a beast ascends, it's very easy for them to get forcibly summoned away."
"Yeah, I know." Zhao Xing nodded.
The Yuanling Star Domain's demon race had long formed a powerful alliance.
In the ancient eras, powerful demon ancestors from Tianyao Kingdom, Cangyue Demon Kingdom, Wanhe Beast Kingdom, and Devouring Star Beast Kingdom had fused their Dao with the laws of the Yuanling Star Domain, establishing a rule where ascended beasts would automatically be summoned away.
That was why demon cultivators had such strong cohesion—because the moment they ascended, they were taken into the greater demon lineage.
And now, it was happening to his own Spirit Illusion Goat.
When beasts break through into the Ascension Stage, Origin Stage, or Dao Domain Realm, a void passage would appear, leading them toward various demon kingdoms.
Of course, the current summoning effect had weakened significantly. By the time a beast reached the Dao Domain Realm, the summoning would no longer work.
If they were within the territories of major ancient kingdoms, this summoning would be even more difficult to take effect, as the human race also had countermeasures to prevent it.
"The Mountain Cat, Azure Luan, and Spirit Illusion Goat have all reached the Ascension Stage and are currently advancing toward the Origin Stage."
"I have the ability, so I must help Great Zhou establish a firm foothold. But just relying on myself is not enough," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
"The path to longevity is long and arduous. Solitude can drive people into extremity, even leading to madness and cultivation deviation."
"Having emotional ties, on the other hand, can act as an anchor, reducing the chances of deviation. Right now, I don't need to worry about it too much, but when I reach the Dao Domain Realm or Reincarnation Realm, having an emotional anchor will be a good thing."
"Especially at the Reincarnation Realm." Zhao Xing looked up into the endless starry sky. "There are two types of resurrection at the Reincarnation Realm: active reincarnation revival and passive ritual revival."
"If one day, I accidentally die, as long as Great Zhou has a group of powerful cultivators, they can perform a resurrection ritual for me, bringing me back to life. The Dongyan Ancient Clan has been doing exactly this for generations."
After temporarily settling Great Zhou, Zhao Xing began adjusting his future plans.
"Great Zhou won't be able to follow me forever. In at most five hundred years, I will find a way to secure a migration opportunity from a Red Star Empire organization called 'Sparktide.'"
"Jing Yan, when the time comes, I'll have to trouble you to assist in bringing them over ahead of time and helping them settle in."
Jing Yan nodded. "As long as Sparktide is willing to help Great Zhou enter the empire, I'll take care of their settlement once they arrive."
Jing Yan knew some of Zhao Xing's situation. The Purple Divine Mansion didn't dare defy the rules of the Reincarnation Divine Palace, so they were keeping Zhao Xing here until his divine ability was erased.
But the people of Great Zhou weren't involved in that matter. If they wanted to leave, they could leave at any time.
The short-term plan was clear: migrate Great Zhou to the Red Star Empire.
The mid-term plan was to accumulate 5 trillion Red Star coins to temporarily avoid the divine ability erasure and leave Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom.
Every step of the plan depended on money.
Which meant Zhao Xing had no choice but to set his sights on Moonfall Mausoleum once again.
"It's been fifteen years since the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion arrived."
"The situation in Moonfall Mausoleum remains unresolved. Ancient kingdoms continue fighting over it, full of schemes and betrayals. At the same time, the ancient kingdoms and demon races are engaged in deadly battles."
"I can't just keep waiting for the opportunity to present itself. I have to actively search for a chance."
"If I wait for the peaceful period before the Reclamation War, when the danger level decreases, I have no idea how long that will take."
Zhao Xing pondered for a moment, then opened his eyes.
He was inside a cultivation chamber, and before him stood a colossal creation.
Splitting his focus, Zhao Xing was currently crafting a Juyang Straw Puppet Avatar.
A low hum filled the chamber.
A crackling sound echoed through the air.
A deep rumble resonated throughout the space.
From the neck down, there was no divine glow—all the energy had been retracted and restrained.
Only the head region radiated with blinding brilliance, bursts of divine radiance swirling around it, strange visions appearing frequently.
This was because the spell hadn't yet fully fused the treasured materials, so its energy wasn't entirely contained.
"The materials from the Void Ancestor Star System were a nightmare to gather. I had to rely on Du Yun to procure them."
"I wasted ten thousand sets of materials just practicing, burning through fifteen years and ten billion Red Star coins just to reach the Sixth Stage of the Divine Ability Realm."
Ten thousand sets of materials—that was ten billion Red Star coins literally burned away.
For comparison, back then, Lu Yuehan had racked his brain just to acquire three sets of materials for crafting Juyang Straw Puppets.
If Du Yun didn't have connections, even if Zhao Xing had all the money in the world, he wouldn't have anywhere to spend it.
"Once this puppet avatar is complete, I will possess a combat force rivaling the late stage of Lesser Divine Ability Realm—a true Juyang Avatar capable of unleashing the full power of Juyang."
"At the same time, my Moyun Vine has entered its growth phase, but reaching its peak stage is an entirely different challenge. Even with all the money I have, it's not nearly enough to sustain it."
A King-grade Moyun Vine would, at its peak stage, reach the Dao Domain Realm.
Fully extended, its vines could cover an entire star system.
Cultivating plant-based lifeforms was far more difficult.
Suddenly, a soft bubbling sound reached Zhao Xing's ears.
His eyes sharpened instantly.
"Not good, it's about to explode!"
He immediately cast a spell, using a spatial shift to teleport a dark-colored poisonous mushroom to a low-spirit zone within the cultivation chamber.
That area had only a spirit energy concentration of 5.
The black toxic mushroom erupted in an explosion, but instead of just a blast, it released an eerie, wailing cry.
A chilling "Wuuuu~~" echoed through the space.
Fortunately, the sound rapidly weakened.
One benefit of an arid, low-spirit environment was that it reduced the intensity of unexpected disasters.
And the low-spirit region of the cultivation chamber functioned similar to a barren wasteland.
"Looks like I need to be more careful in the future. These mushrooms are getting weirder and weirder," Zhao Xing mused. "The True Self Sect's Divine Abilities really aren't something you can play around with."
Since Yuanhai Realm's cultivation path was essentially a money sink, it was far from refined.
Zhao Xing had pushed it to the Third Stage of the Divine Ability Realm, yet he found no real improvement in his Prime Essence Severing Divine Ability.
His understanding of life essence differentiation had barely progressed.
This technique was simply not designed for that purpose.
However, his proficiency in using fungal-based soldiers was improving at an alarming rate.
"The mushrooms I throw out—even I am scared of them now." Zhao Xing muttered. "Unless it's absolutely necessary, I should avoid using those unknown mushrooms."
The True Self Sect's Prime Essence Severing Divine Ability was strange and eerie.
Even at the Third Stage, Zhao Xing found some aspects unsettling.
After cultivating the Mind Will Divine Ability – Slaughter Mind Blade, he realized that certain experimental mushrooms gave him a visceral, instinctive sense of dread.
Even just looking at them made his heart tremble.
Time flowed.
Soon, it was Year 1145 of the Beginning of Renewal Era.
It had been over a hundred years since returning from Southfall.
And eighty years since the arrival of the Lord of Purple Moon Mansion and the Lord of Yuqing Mansion.
"Huff~"
"Inhale~"
Inside the cultivation space, a giant figure suddenly opened its eyes.
The simple act of exhaling caused a violent storm, shaking the chamber with a force equivalent to a Third Stage spell.
"The opportunity has arrived."
The giant muttered.
The next moment, his entire body vanished.
Only a tiny black speck remained in the air.
That speck was Zhao Xing's true body.
"It has been twenty-one years since I completed my first Juyang Avatar."
"Now, the perfect opportunity to re-enter Moonfall Mausoleum has finally arrived."