Translator: CinderTL
The Star Gate connecting the Profound Yellow Great World to the outside world.
A group of over a dozen Void Refining cultivators suddenly appeared, led by a Dharma Manifestation Venerable.
Upon seeing the Dharma Manifestation Venerable at the head of the group, the True Monarch responsible for maintaining the Star Gate's operation was taken aback. He quickly bowed and greeted, "Greetings, Six Harmonies Venerable."
"Open the Star Gate linking to the Immortal God Race!" the Six Harmonies Venerable ordered without hesitation.
"The Immortal God Race... Their coordinates are currently being recalibrated, and recharging the Star Gate will also take some time. At the earliest, it will take three days..." the True Monarch replied quickly.
Before he could finish speaking, the Six Harmonies Venerable waved his hand. "Void Metal, Void Wood..."
Six Void Refining cultivators immediately stepped forward.
Visible ripples of Void energy radiated from each of them, clearly indicating they were Void Refining Heavenly Monarchs who had mastered the Void Law.
"They will assist you in completing the Star Gate's recalibration and energy replenishment! I don't care about anything else. I only demand that the Star Gate be opened as quickly as possible!" the Six Harmonies Venerable said sternly.
"This..."
The Primordial Spirit Realm True Monarchs trembled before the Venerable.
Even though they were top-tier technicians whose status far surpassed that of ordinary True Monarchs, they dared not show the slightest disrespect before a Venerable.
Fortunately, at this moment, two phantom figures simultaneously materialized near the Star Gate.
They were Yi Xuan and Chenguang, the two who maintained the Star Gate leading to the Immortal God Race's realm.
"What wind has brought the Six Harmonies Venerable here?" Chenguang greeted with a smile, then turned to the Primordial Spirit Realm technicians. "Venerable Six Harmonies is in a hurry to use the Star Gate, so quickly recalibrate its coordinates and replenish its energy. We mustn't disrupt the Venerable's important business."
With orders from above, the Primordial Spirit Realm technicians breathed a sigh of relief and quickly led several Void Refining cultivators to the Star Gate, where they began their work.
Yi Xuan, standing nearby, watched the Six Harmonies Venerable and the thirteen Void Refining Heavenly Monarchs he had brought with him, his heart pounding with alarm. "Venerable Six Harmonies... are you planning to connect to the Star Gate on the Immortal God Race's side? With such a formidable lineup, could this be a prelude to war with some faction?"
The Six Harmonies Venerable hailed from the Wu Ji Sect, a native power of the Profound Yellow Great World. His own strength was not considered outstanding, and he cultivated the Jianmu Dharma Manifestation, a Dao rooted in life and not particularly skilled in combat.
In the Profound Yellow Great World, where the proportions of dharma manifestations are 60% ordinary, 30% superior, and 10% supreme, ordinary dharma manifestations are the norm.
Those who achieve superior dharma manifestations are already considered exceptional among dharma manifestation cultivators.
Cultivating a supreme dharma manifestation, not only in the Profound Yellow Great World but across the entire Human Race, earns one the title of "strongest."
Six Harmonies Venerable glanced at him and said in a deep voice, "An Elder of our Wu Ji Sect perished in the territory of the Immortal God Race. Elder Yi Xuan, do you believe the Wu Ji Sect should investigate this matter to the end?"
Yi Xuan's expression immediately changed upon hearing this.
"An Elder!?"
Though he didn't know whether it was an Elder stationed abroad or one from the inner sect, Elders of the Wu Ji Sect were at least Void Refining Realm cultivators!
The death of a Void Refining Heavenly Monarch was a matter that demanded the full force of the sect's resources to investigate.
Especially since this Heavenly Monarch had perished outside Human Territory!
If handled poorly, it could even spark a war between the two races!
Six Harmonies Venerable had already led thirteen Celestial Sovereigns to investigate...
This lineup was actually quite conservative.
"Was it the Immortal God Race who struck? Or was it a clash between other factions?" Yi Xuan pondered, but immediately replied, "I'll urge them to activate the Star Gate as soon as possible, so Venerable can go and get to the bottom of this!"
His stance was firm: "Every Void Refining cultivator is a crucial component of our Human Race's combat strength. Any loss or weakening diminishes the strength of our entire race. If the death of your sect's Elder was truly the work of the Immortal God Race... then dealing with this fence-sitter as a sacrificial offering before a full-scale war with the Divine Race is entirely justifiable!"
Six Harmonies Venerable nodded slightly, his composed face betraying no emotion.
As the two conversed, a flicker of unease crossed the face of one of the thirteen Void Refining cultivators present.
This cultivator, named Shouzhen, was the Elder in charge of the Primordial Soul Hall of the Wu Ji Sect.
Not long ago, he had noticed an anomaly in one of the Soul Mirrors within the hall. Upon investigation, he discovered that Elder Hong Qianjue had perished.
He had been about to report this news to the sect's high-ranking officials when he discovered something far more shocking...
The information transmitted through the Soul Mirror implicated a massive secret!
Li Chunjun!
The one who had killed Elder Hong Qianjue was none other than Li Chunjun, the top-ranked cultivator on the Three Lists who had recently caused such a stir in the Profound Yellow Vast Land, leaving the lineage of the Heavenly Palace's Great Longevity Emperor utterly humiliated!
In the Soul Mirror, Hong Qianjue's final message claimed that Li Chunjun harbored a great secret, the truth of which was impossible to verify. Elder Shouzhen naturally didn't fully believe it.
However, the fact that Li Chunjun had seized seven, or even eight, Profound Yellow Dao Fruits from the Profound Yellow Vast Land had become common knowledge in recent days.
Profound Yellow Dao Fruit!
A single one is worth 30 billion Spirit Crystals!
Even the rotating Human Race forces could only manage to secure three or four Profound Yellow Dao Fruits at most each time. Yet Li Chunjun had seized seven or eight, leaving the Four Races completely bankrupt this time.
Seven or eight Profound Yellow Dao Fruits meant a profit exceeding 200 billion!
This was a sum of wealth that would make Dharma Manifestation Venerables fight to the death!
Shouzhen had considered keeping the entire fortune for himself.
But...
His own strength was on par with Hong Qianjue's, and strictly speaking, he was even slightly weaker.
If Li Chunjun could kill Hong Qianjue, he could certainly kill him too.
So, Elder Shouzhen contacted his friend, Six Harmonies Venerable.
This Venerable had achieved Dharma Manifestation but was not skilled in combat. While stronger than Shouzhen, he wasn't powerful enough to easily turn the tables.
Shouzhen reasoned that with the two of them working together to strike directly at the Immortal God Race, their mission would be foolproof.
To his surprise, Six Harmonies Venerable was timid and cautious. Despite being a Dharma Manifestation Venerable, he still summoned twelve Void Refining cultivators to ensure absolute safety when dealing with a mere Void Refining cultivator.
He repeatedly declared that Heavenly Prodigies like Li Chunjun, who possessed Supreme Treasures and were favored by destiny, either didn't strike at all or, when they did, they had to crush their opponents with several times or even ten times their advantage.
Shouzhen found this utterly ridiculous.
This lineup might not have ten times the power of Li Chunjun, but dealing with Hong Qianjue...
Even facing ten Hong Qianjues wouldn't be a problem.
The lineup was indeed strong.
But...
In the end, only a tenth or twentieth of the profits would likely end up in his hands.
Shouzhen could only hope that most of the resources he'd exchanged for Li Chunjun's Profound Yellow Dao Fruits were still intact. If he could secure a hundred or two hundred billion in revenue—enough to forge a superior Dharma Manifestation—he might still break even. Otherwise...
He'd lose everything.
Partnering with this timid and cautious Six Harmonies Venerable had been a disastrous mistake.
"The Star Gate has completed calibration and charging, Six Harmonies Venerable. You may proceed at any time."
Shortly after, Yi Xuan announced with a smile.
"Then what are we waiting for? Activate the Star Gate!"
Six Harmonies Venerable said gravely.
Yi Xuan wasted no time. With a wave of his hand, the Star Gate, having completed calibration and charging under the technicians' supervision, quickly lit up.
The group of fourteen, led by Six Harmonies Venerable, entered the Star Gate without pause.
Less than two hours after their departure, nine streaks of light pierced through the sky once more.
The leader of this new arrival was not a Venerable, yet Yi Xuan and Chenguang both grew solemn upon seeing him.
"Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch!"
The two Void Refining cultivators saluted respectfully. Their attitude toward him was even more deferential than toward Six Harmonies Venerable.
They knew that while the Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch had yet to achieve Void Refining, his foundation was so profound that it was nearly at the Void Refining pinnacle. Had he not been so ambitious, aiming to forge the ultimate Dharma Manifestation, he likely would have already broken through his current cultivation level.
And now...
Even though he was merely a Void Refining cultivator, if he were to engage in a life-or-death struggle with the Six Harmonies Venerable who had just departed, the outcome would remain uncertain.
In particular, this Celestial Sovereign was the right-hand man of Universal Transformation Venerable, a high-ranking figure in the Heavenly Palace. His presence here, in a sense, represented the Venerable's attitude.
"I must trouble you all to urgently open the Star Gate for us! We need to travel to the Immortal God Race!"
Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch issued the order without hesitation.
"The Immortal God Race?"
Yi Xuan and Chenguang exchanged surprised glances.
While the Profound Yellow Great World and the Immortal God Race had regular contact, the Star Gate usually opened only once every half month or even a month. Why today...?
"I'm afraid that won't be possible..."
"I understand. It's not yet the Star Gate's scheduled opening time. We'll cover the additional fees."
Profound Spirit waved his hand, cutting them off. "Just open the gate."
"It's not that we're unwilling," Chenguang explained. "But just over an hour ago, we already opened a Star Gate passage to the Immortal God Race. Even if we work tirelessly to calibrate and recharge, the Star Gate on the other side still has a cooldown period. We'll have to wait at least a day. Otherwise, there's a risk of a malfunction during the teleportation."
"One day!?"
Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch's expression darkened.
He immediately turned to a Void Refining cultivator deeply familiar with the Starry Sky Group's affairs and inquired through Divine Sense, "Are there any other Star Gates that lead to the Immortal God Race?"
"The Immortal God Race is just a small clan that hasn't even achieved Dao Unification. They were able to establish a Star Gate only because they were obedient and wholeheartedly aspired to join our Human Race. There are no other Star Gates... truly none."
The Void Refining cultivator replied quickly.
"Just waiting one more day shouldn't be a problem, right? What urgent business do you have that requires you to go to the Immortal God Race immediately? And..."
Chenguang glanced behind Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch.
Nine Void Refining cultivators!
Their numbers were fewer than before.
Yet their combined combat power surpassed even the thirteen Void Refining cultivators led by Six Harmonies Venerable.
Only cultivators who had cultivated a superior Dharma Manifestation could possibly surpass them.
"Why such a grand display?"
"Immortal Maiden Luoyao, a top Dharma Manifestation seed for the Heavenly Palace's future, perished in the Immortal God Race. Wouldn't you say that warrants a grand display?" Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch said gravely.
"Immortal Maiden Luoyao?" Chenguang and Yi Xuan's pupils contracted. "Immortal Maiden Luoyao also perished in the Immortal God Race!?"
"Also?"
The Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch keenly sensed the anomaly in their words.
Chenguang and Yi Xuan, vaguely aware of the gravity of the situation, immediately informed the Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch about the Six Harmonies Venerable and his companions' hasty activation of the Star Gate not long ago.
"Wu Ji Sect has also lost an Elder?"
After hearing their report, the Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch's expression gradually turned solemn.
Yi Xuan ventured a guess: "Could the Immortal God Race... be planning to rejoin the Divine Race?"
While the Profound Spirit Heavenly Monarch found it hard to believe the Immortal God Race would dare to betray humanity, he couldn't ignore the Immortal Alliance's recent treatment of them. Moreover, two Void Refining cultivators had fallen on Immortal God Race territory, yet the race had remained strangely silent. This fueled their suspicions.
If the Immortal God Race truly abandoned humanity and embraced the Divine Race once more, venturing into their territory now would be like entering a dragon's den.
Without hesitation, the Celestial Sovereign immediately ordered, "First, verify the Immortal God Race's coordinates, but don't activate the Star Gate yet!"
He then turned to another Void Refining cultivator. "Contact Wu Ji Sect immediately and have them closely monitor the life tablets of the Six Harmonies Venerable and his companions! If any of their tablets show abnormalities, notify me immediately!"
(End of the Chapter)
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