"Approved!"
Yi Tianxing spoke without hesitation. "All Willpower Pearls accumulated within the city—if needed—can be used freely. Ensure that Xuanhuang Immortal City undergoes the most perfect ascension possible. Lay the most flawless foundation—make it as powerful as it can possibly be. This ascension is a monumental stroke of fortune and must not be missed."
The number of Willpower Pearls accumulated in Great Yi was nearly beyond estimation.
With Eternal Coins now circulating across more than half the Eternal World, no one could calculate how many were in use, nor how many cultivators used them for their cultivation. Every coin spent reappeared on the Money Tree, naturally carrying with it the user's intent, continuously aggregating various thoughts and desires that ultimately crystallized into Willpower Pearls and Demonic Thought Pearls. The latter were directly reforged into Eternal Coins, while the former were carefully stored.
By now, the amassed Willpower Pearls formed literal mountains. Every day, they rained down like drops in a storm. With the Eternal Coin flowing within the countless billions of Great Yi citizens, the Money Tree received a vast influx of desire-born energy every second.
A resource truly inexhaustible and endless.
If nothing else, it was absolutely sufficient to support this round of Immortal City ascension.
"Understood, Master. Ruyi will make sure Xuanhuang Immortal City undergoes the most perfect transformation. Just watch." Ruyi Fairy said with a cheerful laugh.
Whoosh!!
The moment their exchange ended, a divine radiance descended from the heavens—a light of fortune so vast it reached from heaven to earth. It enveloped both the Seven-Clawed Golden Dragon and the entire Xuanhuang City.
"This is the blessing of Heaven and Earth, of the Great Dao—a gift of fortune. This energy is precisely what Xuanhuang Immortal City needs most to ascend."
Yi Tianxing understood that this was the greatest blessing brought about by ascension. By seizing this opportunity, Great Yi could forge the strongest possible foundation.
In fact, Xuanhuang Immortal City had been waiting for this moment of fortune to rise.
But it wasn't over yet. Just as the golden light descended, a second radiance appeared—a vast beam of verdant green divine light poured from the heavens, covering the entire city. Within this green light pulsed a rich Eternal aura.
This was the divine light bestowed upon the Eternal Heaven Ark when it connected with the Eternal Green Lotus. For Xuanhuang City, being not just a dynasty's Immortal City, but also an Eternal Heaven Ark and a supreme artifact, this transformation brought benefits far beyond what a normal dynasty capital could receive—but it also required far greater resources.
Without sufficient accumulation, perfect ascension would be impossible.
These two beams of light descended simultaneously and merged seamlessly, indistinguishable even to top-tier cultivators.
"Xuanhuang Immortal City is ascending."
"Something's not right… It carries the divine light typical of a dynasty capital's ascension, but also something else—something very different. Yet, I can't perceive it. Strange."
Longevity Dao Sovereign and the others were visibly shocked. While observing the light, they sensed a vague familiarity, yet upon closer inspection, could find nothing. A mystery they could only set aside for now.
Their eyes turned to the true metamorphosis of Xuanhuang City.
They saw the boundless divine light of Creation and Eternity pouring into the city. The entire structure visibly expanded, swelling within the void. With both divine lights infusing it, a fundamental transformation began.
The Eternal Well was the first to evolve, drawing in the sea-like essence of fortune. Inside, its innate divine restrictions were sprouting continuously. Alongside it, the Eternal Furnace began to transform as well. These two were the energy cores of the city.
Not just these, but the entire city—built from Willpower Pearls—visibly strengthened. Its body became more solid, more grounded, its defenses multiplying by dozens or even hundreds of times. Within its frame, profound Dao patterns emerged, and the formation patterns of the Twelve Zodiac Grand Array were inscribed across every inch of the city.
Every second, countless Willpower Pearls burned, transforming into nourishment, fusing with the city—into its buildings, structures, foundations.
Even the Twelve Zodiac Grand Array was evolving, becoming more powerful and terrifying than before. Additionally, the city's four mysterious traits also strengthened drastically.
🔹 Four Enhanced Traits:
Seamless (无间 – Wú Jiàn)
Adaptation (适应 – Shì Yìng)
Nightmare (梦魇 – Mèng Yǎn)
Disciple (门徒 – Mén Tú)
Each surged in power dozens of times over, making the city even more mysterious. Yet unless actively revealed, no one would notice these changes.
"Excellent," Yi Tianxing nodded subtly as he sensed the shift.
"Master, with this transformation, Xuanhuang Immortal City will awaken a fifth mysterious trait," Ruyi Fairy giggled joyfully.
That was true fortune.
Artifacts and Immortal Cities are categorized as:
Lingyun→ Peerless → Supreme → Immortal → Ancient → Primordial → Eternal
(凌云, 无双, 无上, 至尊, 不朽, 亘古, 永恒)
By normal standards, a dynasty city only reached the Lingyun grade when the dynasty became a kingdom. An Imperial Dynasty would elevate the city to Peerless, an Emperor Dynasty to Supreme, and only upon becoming a Sacred Court would it rise to Immortal .
But Xuanhuang City had broken this pattern—it had already reached the Immortal level during the Emperor Dynasty stage thanks to its fusion with a supreme artifact embryo.
Now, with the help of the Eternal Heaven Ark and massive fortune power, it might shatter the limit again and ascend to the Ancient level.
If that happened, Great Yi would hold an unstoppable trump card.
Of course, even Yi Tianxing didn't know if success was guaranteed. That's why he gave Ruyi permission to use any and all resources within Great Yi—even if they had to be poured in like a tidal wave.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With countless Willpower Pearls burning and merging into the city, the city's physical structure expanded wildly—several times over. With every breath, its mass visibly increased, swelling in the void and nearly blotting out the sky.
New zones appeared within the city, far vaster than before. If previously the city could house billions, now it could easily accommodate many times more—perhaps even tenfold.
With added techniques, its capacity could grow exponentially.
"With this new expansion, Xuanhuang City has now reached the Fourth Ring. More citizens will now have the chance to apply to settle in the Sacred City."
Across Great Yi, countless citizens from various Immortal Cities gazed at Xuanhuang City's expanding form. Seeing the newly manifested empty districts, their eyes burned with desire.
When Xuanhuang was a Royal City, the first ring of districts was created. Upon its rise to Imperial City, the second ring was formed. With its promotion to Emperor City, a third ring appeared.
Now, as it ascended once more, the Fourth Ring emerged.
This new ring would surely require settlers—and that was an opportunity for countless citizens. To live in the capital of a Sacred Court was a dream of status, honor, and spiritual pride.
"So the Fourth Ring has formed."Yi Tianxing nodded to himself. This was a natural result of the city's expansion—expected, but still satisfying.
Yet the transformation was far from over.
The Palace Divine Tree, one of the city's cores, also began to evolve. Vast fortune energy surged through its roots, spreading through the city like veins, reaching all corners. Wherever it extended, new structures sprouted. The tree's roots covered every inch of new land.
Meanwhile, immense numbers of Willpower Pearls fused with the city, becoming one with its very structure.
Simultaneously, the Twelve Zodiac Statues embedded in the city glowed with divine light. Fully integrated with the city, they too evolved. Their innate spiritual veins grew stronger, and the Twelve Zodiac War Armors—born alongside them—also transformed rapidly. With each new innate divine restriction, their power surged. From mid-grade innate spiritual treasures, they now approached high-grade.
The Palace Divine Tree itself swelled under the dual forces of fortune and eternal power. Its canopy began to split and multiply, manifesting entirely new cloud realms in the void. Unique laws interwove above each layer, forming distinct new realms.
Previously, it had twenty cloud realms. But now, as the city ascended—
One layer!Two layers!Three layers!…
In just moments, thirteen new layers were added.
Bringing the total to a staggering thirty-three cloud realms!
Moreover, each of the original cloud realms also rapidly expanded—each one resembling a vast world in its own right.