The Supreme Demon Emperor's shout made all living beings realize the immense power of Divine Sovereign. Legends long buried in time resurfaced in their minds.
Before the upheaval of the Heavenly Dao era, Divine Sovereign had been the most powerful existence in the world, the supreme ruler, and the true sovereign of all.
Then, she disappeared. In her absence, countless figures rose to prominence, pushing her name into obscurity.
What had Divine Sovereign been doing all this time? Just how powerful was she now?
Countless beings looked up at the Heavenly Dao Fruit suspended above the land, each of them speculating.
Divine Sovereign's reputation had always been one of righteousness. In the face of such a terrifying heavenly phenomenon, those who knew of her began to hope she would be the one to save everything.
Inside the Wushi Dao Field.
Gu An remained inside his residence, observing the battle unfold. Zhu Xi was simultaneously absorbing the power of the Heavenly Dao Fruit and resisting the attacks from the Supreme Demon Realm. She fought alone against thousands, her power overwhelming.
The Supreme Demon Emperor was also a Profound Origin Free Immortal. Even in a battle between equals, with an entire legion of formidable subordinates aiding him, he still failed to gain an advantage against Zhu Xi.
At this rate, Zhu Xi would undoubtedly succeed in merging with the Heavenly Dao Fruit.
Judging from her performance, Gu An believed she had already reached an invincible state within the Profound Origin Free Immortal Realm. It was astonishing. She had only recently broken through from the Dao Repository Free Immortal Realm, yet she dominated her opponents with absolute ease.
Even though Xunxian Daoist had lent her power, her own combat talent was exceptional.
Among all the beings in the Heavenly Spirit World, in terms of battle prowess alone, Gu An believed only An Hao could barely compare to Zhu Xi.
Li Ya, Lu Xian, Yang Jian, Chen Chuan—none of them were on her level.
Given Gu An's current cultivation, he was confident in making this judgment. The entire world lay before his eyes.
"My disciple, what will you do?"
Gu An murmured to himself. He was referring to An Hao.
Guided by the Heavenly Dao Golden Core, An Hao, too, sought to claim the Heavenly Dao Fruit.
But even with the power of the Heavenly Dao Golden Core, he was no match for Zhu Xi.
The Heavenly Dao Golden Core and the Heavenly Dao Fruit both originated from the same individual, yet the Dao Fruit itself was the evolved form of the Golden Core.
For that existence to retain both the Dao Fruit and the Golden Core simultaneously—what kind of Dao did he cultivate?
Could he be nurturing two Golden Cores at once?
Gu An began to look forward to the emergence of that mysterious being.
Right now, all the battles unfolding were nothing more than a game between the Heavenly Spirit God and the creator of the Heavenly Spirit World. The living beings involved were merely pieces on the board.
Aside from Gu An, Xunxian Daoist was the only unpredictable factor. The past-born Long Jun did not count—he posed no threat to the Heavenly Spirit God.
As Gu An continued his deductions, the battle between the Supreme Demon Realm and Divine Sovereign escalated, its shockwaves spreading farther and farther.
As the saying goes, when gods fight, mortals suffer. A single strand of their released power was enough to throw an entire region into calamity.
Time passed swiftly.
An Xin, Tian Yao'er, Lu Xian, and the others couldn't focus on their cultivation. They gathered together, discussing the unprecedented battle. Gu An had left behind a screen of light reflecting the Heavenly Dao Fruit, making it the perfect battlefield for observation.
Seeing Zhu Xi's overwhelming presence, those who had met her before couldn't help but marvel. Who would have thought that the once-timid disciple would one day display such dominance?
"It seems the Supreme Demon Realm won't be able to stop her."
"She looks like she's absorbing the power of the Heavenly Dao Fruit."
"Tsk tsk, if she succeeds, will she break through again?"
"That Dao Fruit represents the heavens themselves. If she masters it, wouldn't that mean she controls all of existence? Just thinking about it is insane."
"Yeah, but don't forget what Master said—behind all of this are the immortals and gods manipulating things from the shadows. The true powers haven't even revealed themselves yet."
The disciples excitedly discussed the battle. Though they were in awe of Zhu Xi and the power of the Supreme Demon Realm, they showed no fear. They didn't say it outright, but deep down, everyone believed that Gu An was the strongest.
Even the Blood Prison Saint, who had glimpsed the fate of the world, remained calm. In his eyes, even if his master couldn't defeat the existence that sought to destroy the universe, he would still be able to protect himself. As long as his master continued to observe the battle without concern, there was no reason to worry.
He even suspected that Gu An might also be eyeing the Heavenly Dao Fruit.
In the blink of an eye, two days passed.
The battle over the Dao Fruit continued. The Supreme Demon Realm had lost half of its forces, and much of the land had collapsed. Countless beings had perished.
Tidal waves surged into the distance, sweeping away artifacts, divine beasts, and aerial treasures.
Various sects and dynasties had begun migrating, leading their people to safety. However, in the chaos of fleeing, unity was scarce, and darkness lurked beneath the surface.
Although Tai Cang Continent was far from the Heavenly Dao Fruit, the continent's borders were lined with countless cultivators holding back the tsunami. The land had not yet been swallowed by disaster, but a heavy sense of dread weighed on everyone's hearts.
The longer the battle dragged on, the greater the calamity it would bring to the world.
At noon that day, an overwhelming yet serene pressure descended upon the land. Unlike the previous oppressive forces, this one filled all living beings with a sense of clarity and vigor.
"Hm? That Golden Core has found a successor… wait, could it be…?"
Standing atop the Heavenly Dao Fruit, Xunxian Daoist furrowed his brows and muttered to himself. Not far away, Zhu Xi continued absorbing the Dao Fruit's power.
Above her, she had manifested a colossal Dharma Form, even larger than the Heavenly Dao Fruit itself. It had a thousand arms, each wielding a different treasure, casting a multitude of spells that dazzled the sky.
Zhu Xi turned her head toward him. "Could it be what?"
Xunxian Daoist's expression was complicated. He merely shook his head slightly and said nothing.
Seeing his hesitation, a cold glint flashed in Zhu Xi's eyes, but she did not press him further.
At this point, she had no retreat.
The fact that the Heavenly Spirit God had yet to reveal himself only made her feel that something was amiss.
If the Heavenly Spirit God hadn't intervened, it meant that even if she succeeded, she still wouldn't pose a threat to him.
How terrifying was such an existence?
Zhu Xi lowered her gaze to the Heavenly Dao Fruit beneath her feet. She tried to see through the golden Dao patterns woven across its surface, to glimpse the truth hidden within.
Suddenly, a blinding light surged from the horizon, illuminating Zhu Xi's face. She glanced sideways and saw a massive sun rising in the sky, casting its radiance over the entire Heavenly Spirit World.
In an instant, the entire world was engulfed in its brilliance. The continents and oceans closest to it lost all color, swallowed by its radiance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
From within the enormous sun, waves of fire erupted, transforming into golden dragons the size of mountains, each exhaling scorching flames.
"Heavenly Dao Fruit—I, An Hao, also want it!"
A thunderous voice roared across the heavens, echoing throughout the world, shaking every living being to their core.
The name "An Hao" instantly engraved itself into the minds of all who heard it.
Those who knew him were stunned. Those who didn't were filled with unease.
The mere sound of his voice compelled weaker beings to submit. His arrival in the battle would undoubtedly bring even greater catastrophe.
"An Hao…"
In Tai Xuan Sect's Third Medicine Valley, Lü Baitian sat by a small field, looking up at the blazing sun in the sky. He muttered the name under his breath.
His murky eyes gradually brightened.
For a moment, he seemed to see a young man from nine thousand years ago, standing before him in his prime, full of ambition and spirit.
"I'm truly getting old," Lü Baitian murmured to himself.
"But you… you surely haven't aged. Where are you now, watching all of this with a smile?"