He had just swept through the entire Eternal Night battlefield, and yet nowhere could he find the trace of the Demonblood Ancestral Vein. Not even the slightest wisp of its aura remained. Nor had he detected any hint of outsiders. Under such conditions, the only ones who could deceive him, make him fall into a trap, and steal the ancestral vein in such a short time… were undoubtedly those on the same level as himself.
And on this battlefield, the most likely culprits were those two. Over the years, the Blood Demon Clan had clashed with their races more than once. If they truly schemed against his ancestral vein, it was not impossible.
But what he had just inspected—there was not a single trace left behind. The deed was done so cleanly it was terrifying. This was not something ordinary people could accomplish.
In his eyes, their suspicion value reached at least thirty percent. And even that was enough. He absolutely could not let them off lightly.
"Blood Spirit old ghost, you think I fear you? If you want to fight, I'll oblige you!"
Ancestor Evil Dragon roared furiously.
This was not something that could be explained clearly. Once suspicion took root, nothing could wash it away. On this battlefield, there were only them with such strength—if he didn't suspect them, who else could he suspect? If the roles were reversed, they too would be blamed. There was no reasoning this through.
So, fight first—then talk.
In an instant, blood light flooded the sky.Terrifying pressure swept across the Eternal Night battlefield.
Countless Eternal Night cultivators felt their very souls tremble. Many nearly collapsed on the spot in terror. This was the clash of top beings; even the aftermath alone was unbearable. Utterly dreadful. Cruelty at its peak.
Meanwhile, the true culprits—Yi Tianxing and Rahu—had already entered the Nightmare World, swiftly reappearing in the Sanctuary of Dawn Yi Tianxing had established.
Back in the manor, Yi Tianxing and Rahu exchanged glances, both their eyes shining with undisguised excitement.
Success.
They had truly succeeded.
They had stolen an ancestral vein from the Eternal Night battlefield. Not a damaged one, but a complete, whole ancestral vein. The weight of such an accomplishment was immeasurable. The value of one ancestral vein was enormous—it represented the foundation of an invincible sacred land, the core of a supreme imperial court.
"Quick, bring wine!"
Even Rahu, with all his temperament, could not suppress the thrill boiling in his chest.
Yi Tianxing didn't hesitate, producing two gourds of Dukang Immortal Brew—one for Rahu, one for himself. They uncorked them and took deep, fierce gulps.
"This time, the Eternal Night battlefield will surely be turned upside down," Yi Tianxing said with a laugh.
"Heh, more than just upside down. The theft of the ancestral vein was clean, without leaving the faintest flaw. That Blood Demon Ancestor, Blood Spirit, will no doubt go mad on the spot. To have his ancestral vein stolen right under his eyelids—this is a slap across the face. Since we escaped through the Nightmare World, not a single trace can be found. He will naturally suspect the other two top clans. If a great battle doesn't erupt, that would be the true miracle."
Rahu's grin was twisted with glee.
The theft of an ancestral vein was an enmity of life and death. Even a sliver of suspicion was enough to ignite a heaven-shaking war. Once beings beyond the Hunyuan Realm clashed, the scope of devastation was unimaginable—the aftermath alone could kill countless lives. The damage would be catastrophic.
"Such a battle won't last long. That level of confrontation cannot be allowed to run unchecked on the Eternal Night battlefield. They will intervene, for the destruction is far too terrible. And never underestimate Eternal Night—their means are unfathomable, their experts uncountable. It's not impossible they'll still sniff out a trace of us. To underestimate Eternal Night is to court death.
"And I suspect… even if they do fight, it may be a staged battle. Merely bait to lure us out."
Yi Tianxing drew in a deep breath.
He would not, under any circumstance, return to the Eternal Night battlefield now. That battlefield was surely flooded with Blood Spirit's divine sense and will. Any trace left behind would raise the risk of exposure. And this was over an ancestral vein—a matter that would drive Blood Spirit mad with rage.
Even though he had ways to peek into the battlefield through the Nightmare World, he dared not make the slightest move. One misstep could trigger a calamity.
"Refreshing! Let them go mad—it's within the Eternal Night battlefield, not our concern. The benefits are in our hands, that's what matters. A whole ancestral vein—tsk, tsk. Such a treasure! And let's not forget, most of Eternal Night's veins were stolen from other worlds anyway. Cultivated with stolen resources. Taking it back—there's nothing wrong with that."
Rahu's delight was unrestrained. He had long harbored the idea of seizing an ancestral vein. But until now, he had lacked the opportunity. To succeed at last—cleanly, without a trace left behind—was pure ecstasy.
"If we get another chance, perhaps we could steal the other two veins as well."
Light flickered dangerously in Rahu's eyes. His ambition was vast. One vein was not enough. If more could be stolen, he would not hesitate.
"We've already pulled it off once. Eternal Night will not be caught unprepared again. The Heavenly Fragrance Bottle was formidable, but not invincible. This time we succeeded only because they were completely unsuspecting. Otherwise, it might not have been possible."
Yi Tianxing's tone was calm.
To attempt a second theft was possible—but the odds of success were slim. They could very well end up buried instead.
It was a matter that required careful deliberation, to be weighed again and again. For if they went now, they might step straight into a trap. Never underestimate the patience of those ancient monsters of Eternal Night—their hearts had long since turned pitch-black.
"Hm. Then the Eternal Night battlefield is off-limits for now. But this harvest was enormous. Now, let's discuss how we'll divide the ancestral vein."
Rahu nodded in agreement. Though he craved more, he was no fool. He would not blindly charge into danger. What lay before them now was how to split the prize.
Naturally, Yi Tianxing desired the ancestral vein. As ruler of a fortune dynasty, he understood its significance. To ascend to an Immortal Court, one ancestral vein was essential. To elevate an Immortal Court to a Heavenly Court, a single vein could not suffice—many were required.
For a Heavenly Court, the ultimate arrangement was the Nine Dragons Toward Heaven Formation.
This was a truth Yi Tianxing had only learned after founding the Immortal Court.The "nine dragons" referred to nine ancestral veins. Only by gathering nine veins could one qualify to forge a Heavenly Court. Otherwise, one would remain trapped at the level of an Immortal Court forever. This rule held true whether it was a Heaven Dao dynasty or a Dao dynasty.
It was an iron law.
Across the Eternal World, the number of ancestral veins was limited. Each of the Nine Provinces possessed one. The Primordial Continent also had several. Kunlun Divine Mountain, Buzhou Mountain—both housed them. But all were claimed. None could be touched lightly.
To entrust nine veins to one person for the creation of a Heavenly Court—who would ever agree?
Thus, the road to a Heavenly Court was as difficult as ascending to the heavens. No one could conjure nine veins from nothing. Cultivating them was possible—but uncertain, consuming resources beyond imagination, with high risk of failure. Even Eastern Emperor Taiyi had set his sights on Western Kunlun for this reason.
Did the demon race have methods to cultivate ancestral veins? Yes. But whether they could succeed was another matter.
Great Yi itself had already cultivated one vein, and Yi Tianxing had begun attempts to nurture more. Within Great Yi were twelve innate spiritual veins—one had ascended to become an ancestral vein, leaving eleven with potential yet unrealized. But potential was only that—potential.
And now, a genuine ancestral vein lay before them.
Yi Tianxing's heart stirred violently. Who could remain unmoved?
But its value was immeasurable. To claim it, he could not simply name a price.
"Fellow Daoist Rahu, I truly desire this ancestral vein. With it, Great Yi's foundation would grow immensely. By rights, since we obtained it together, it belongs half to each of us. But I wish for the whole vein intact. Let us speak plainly—what do you desire? If I can provide it, we will strike a deal. If not, then let us seal it away for now."
Yi Tianxing spoke after a pause.
It was impossible to split the vein down the middle. To sever it would be waste beyond measure. An ancestral vein could not simply be hacked in two.
"Emperor Yi, so you do covet this vein."
Rahu chuckled, eyes gleaming. "In truth, the vein's use to me is not that great. If you wish for it, I can give it to you. After all, without you, I would never have returned early in this epoch. Were it not for its immense value, I might even gift it freely. As things stand, give me but one promise, and the vein is yours."
"What promise?"
Yi Tianxing's brows furrowed slightly. This was exactly what he had feared—the kind of condition not easily accepted.
"Great Yi is a Dao Dynasty. Its foundation is already vastly stronger than a Heaven Dao dynasty. With the Heavenly Law's web covering the world, my demons' Heart Devils cannot descend—they are blocked at the threshold. All I ask is this: incorporate into the Heavenly Law a clause permitting Heart Devils to enter Great Yi's territory, to test your cultivators. If you agree, the ancestral vein is yours, completely."
Rahu's grin widened as he spoke, his words deliberate and slow.