Swish!
The gourd vine grew rapidly, covering a large portion of the ground like wild grass, and continued to spread.
Seeing this, Qin Chuan quickly used the Law of Earth to construct a trellis, similar to those used for grapevines.
Vines naturally love to climb, and once the trellis was set up, the gourd vine quickly wound its way around it, covering the entire structure.
Pop! Pop! Pop!
Like the sound of bubbles bursting, seven flowers bloomed on the vine, each a different color.
"Are there really seven?" Qin Chuan was dumbfounded.
Seven-Colored Gourd Mountain, gourd seeds, seven flowers—could this really lead to the birth of seven gourd babies?
At this point, the vine stopped growing, and although the flowers had bloomed, there was no sign of fruit appearing.
"Well... the growth cycle of this plant is extremely long—very, very long. Under normal circumstances, it could take... about a billion years," Hua Qingsu timidly explained.
"How quickly can you mature it if you accelerate the process?" Qin Chuan asked.
"Uh... if there's enough energy, I could make it bear fruit within a hundred years," Hua Qingsu said. Fearing Qin Chuan might be dissatisfied, she quickly added, "That's already really fast! There's no way to do it any quicker!"
"Fine, one hundred years it is. From now on, you're responsible for taking care of this gourd vine. If it hasn't matured by then, I'll chop you down!" Qin Chuan threatened, his expression fierce.
"I promise! It will mature!" Hua Qingsu hurriedly nodded.
"Good," Qin Chuan said, satisfied. If only the poor soul who had sold watermelons to Lei Ge had been as obedient, he wouldn't have met his unfortunate end.
And so, Qin Chuan's home gained a new gardener and guard in Hua Qingsu—no pay, but diligently loyal.
Time passed...
In the years that followed, Xuanhuang Heaven rapidly developed. More and more prodigies emerged, while the old powerhouse figures quickly recovered their strength. Some even reached new heights after surviving their tribulations.
In fact, for many top-tier powerhouses, calamities were opportunities. Their personal paths of cultivation were already solidified, and it was precisely this solidity that had imprisoned them, preventing further progress.
This was especially true for the giants of the realm.
There were rumors that Xuanhuang Heaven had fallen so easily in the past because the giants had intentionally let it happen, using it as an opportunity for rebirth.
As the saying goes: To break is to rebuild; without breaking, there is no rebuilding.
Of course, despite Xuanhuang Heaven's tremendous revival and ever-deepening foundations, the lives of Qin Chuan and his son Qin Zi remained peaceful.
Since the last incident where Qin Zi made an example of someone, no one dared to challenge his position as Heaven Lord. Reluctantly, they had accepted his authority, but when strong individuals discussed matters, they subconsciously avoided mentioning Qin Zi, as if he didn't even exist.
Meanwhile, Xuanhuang Heaven continued to rise in position, like a bubble floating higher and higher, about to breach the surface.
Splash!
Finally, on this day, it broke through the "surface."
From an infinite distance, it appeared like a giant golden egg rising from the sea, sending colossal waves crashing in all directions.
In truth, the lower realms were like an ocean, with each wave representing a different world!
Buzz!!!
At the moment it emerged from the water, its surface radiated brilliant light, and long streams of golden flame shot out from its sides like wings. A majestic, overwhelming aura spread across the vast heavens.
"In the North Sea, there is a fish, and its name is Kun."
"It transforms into a bird, and its name is Peng!"
Xuanhuang Heaven soared like a Kunpeng, flapping its radiant wings and ascending nine thousand miles into the sky, rushing toward the upper realms.
Rumble!
Endless violet lightning gathered in the heavens above, forming a dense net of destruction meant to stop anything from the lower realms from entering the upper realms.
This was the heavenly punishment of destruction.
But the reborn Xuanhuang Heaven was unafraid. It charged forward and smashed through the lightning barrier with unstoppable force, rising against the heavens.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The cataclysmic heavenly punishment that had once made countless beings tremble in fear disintegrated before it could even unleash its full power, vanishing into thin air.
Xuanhuang Heaven seemed to pierce through a transparent film of water. With a soft pop, it entered an entirely new world.
It was a vast world.
Sacred.
Majestic.
Boundless.
As soon as Xuanhuang Heaven crossed into the upper realm, an endless flow of energy and fortune surged in from all directions, making it grow ever stronger. Its radiant surface became even more dazzling, like a ruler being crowned.
The once-weakened Xuanhuang Heaven had returned to its peak in the upper realm!
"Hahaha! We're finally back! The air in the upper realm is so much fresher!" someone cheered.
"Ladies, the monk is back! This time, I'm marrying ten!" an old monk shouted excitedly.
Within Xuanhuang Heaven, countless powerful beings rejoiced, ecstatic over this grand revival.
Meanwhile, the return of Xuanhuang Heaven sent shockwaves throughout the vast upper realm.
Many were stunned.
Some rejoiced, while others worried.
"What? Xuanhuang Heaven has returned? Haha! I've been stuck at the eighth level of the Heavenly God realm for millions of years. Now I can finally break through!"
"Sigh, brother, why didn't you hold on for a few more years? Now that Xuanhuang Heaven has returned, you could have undergone the Celestial Nine Refinements. But you've already passed away... Don't worry, I'll take good care of your wife."
"Hahaha! It's back! I knew it would return! That guy still owes me money—there's no escaping now!"
"I'm done for! The Vast Sea Divine King said he would kill me. If he's still alive, what am I supposed to do?"
People from all walks of life reacted differently.
As for those truly standing at the pinnacle of the upper realm, they gazed toward Xuanhuang Heaven from afar, their eyes glinting with complex emotions.
"It's returned? As expected of one of the Nine Great Heavens—able to rise again after such devastation. Unbelievable."
"But will certain forces allow it to recover? Perhaps this resurgence will be short-lived?"
"Should we go take a look?"
"Better not. The karmic entanglements here are too deep. It's best not to get involved, lest we bring trouble upon ourselves."
After a brief moment of contemplation, these powerful figures averted their gazes, like ancient crocodiles sinking back into the depths of the water.
Not long after, the powerhouses of Xuanhuang Heaven and the upper realm began cautiously interacting with one another. A large influx of upper realm experts entered Xuanhuang Heaven, while the strong from Xuanhuang Heaven also ventured into the upper realm, spreading rapidly.
Among them were two mysterious individuals dressed in black robes, who swiftly flew in one direction upon leaving Xuanhuang Heaven.
These two were none other than the fat and thin men from the Phoenix Clan. They had excavated numerous opportunities within Xuanhuang Heaven and, taking advantage of its revival, hitched a ride and saw their cultivation soar. They had now broken through to the Divine King realm!
Originally, they had planned to kill Qin Zi, but after he became the Heaven Lord of Xuanhuang Heaven, they didn't dare act recklessly.
Even if they had the courage, they lacked the confidence to bypass Qin Chuan. For now, they decided it was best to return to their clan and report the situation.