Dantai Xuan gazed calmly at the smiling, composed Liu Yuanhao before him.

  This wasn't his first encounter with Liu Yuanhao; he'd seen him at White Jade Capital's auction before, though they hadn't interacted much then.

  Only now did Dantai Xuan truly size him up.

  Cultivation strong—Body Storage peak, plus comprehended dao intent. The aura alone was oppressively heavy.

  "Black Dragon Cult Leader?"

  Dantai Xuan smiled at Liu Yuanhao.

  Killing intent circled the eaves like inverted sharp blades hanging from the roof, slicing the air above into fragments.

  The two Xuanwu Guards lay lifeless, blood pooling across the floor.

  The room filled with a thick, acrid bloody scent.

  Liu Yuanhao remained calm and in control, as if he held everything in his grasp.

  He did feel that way.

  Defenses at Tai Ridge summit were weaker than imagined.

  Dantai Xuan was too confident.

  But Liu Yuanhao understood—as Northern Xuan King, lord of Great Xuan, commanding the mighty Xuanwu Guards.

  Even Body Storage peak experts wouldn't dare storm the summit to assassinate him.

  The risk was too high; likely costing their lives.

  Yet, dispatching a thousand Xuanwu Guards to hunt the cult created the vulnerability.

  Liu Yuanhao seized it.

  He wiped blood from his hands with a silk handkerchief.

  Stepping slowly into the pavilion.

  Clear footsteps echoed like those from hell, shaking souls.

  Dantai Xuan's expression barely changed.

  Gripping his guard sword, he actually smiled at Liu Yuanhao.

  Liu Yuanhao approached the desk, sitting cross-legged on a cushion.

  Dantai Xuan swept his sleeve and sat too.

  His stern face carried unhurried dignity and calm.

  "The Black Dragon Cult... continuation of Great Zhou's Black Dragon?"

  Dantai Xuan asked.

  Liu Yuanhao shook his head. "Black Dragon is Black Dragon; the cult is the cult... it was just an excuse to build it."

  Gazing at the calm Dantai Xuan with surprise, he chuckled lightly: "As a family scion, you should understand... actions need justification, excuses."

  Liu Yuanhao's crisp voice bounced in the pavilion.

  Outside, chaos erupted like boiling porridge.

  Remaining Xuanwu Guards mobilized.

  Roars echoed.

  "Protect the King!"

  The Body Storage commander strode furiously, but found a douli-clad black-robed figure blocking the pavilion entrance.

  Black Dragon Cult's protector!

  Seeing the two dead Xuanwu Guards on the ground...

  Xuanwu Guards' eyes reddened.

  The King was in danger!

  "Don't act rashly... or the Northern Xuan King dies."

  The Black Dragon Guard's hoarse voice emerged from beneath the douli.

  He alone barred the door, buying Liu Yuanhao time to capture the king.

  The relentless pursuit had worn them down.

  Now, Liu Yuanhao striking into Great Xuan's heart, seizing the one who ordered the hunt—this Black Dragon Guard felt a rush of satisfaction.

  Yes...

  Satisfying!

  Suppressed too long; sudden release felt exhilarating.

  The guard suddenly sensed...

  Liu Yuanhao was ambitious, cautious, yet bold when needed.

  That's what he admired most—why they, Great Zhou remnants, followed him to the death even when weak.

  Without fighting, they'd live well.

  With cultivator strength, claim land, be carefree landlords—how comfortable?

  Yet they chose to risk life for Liu Yuanhao.

  Originally four Black Dragon Guards; now two.

  No regrets...

  Who wants a flat, uneventful life?

  Following Liu Yuanhao gave hope, vision of glorious rise.

  "Clang!"

  A sharp ring.

  The guard drew a chilling blade, reflecting light.

  Xuanwu Guards froze.

  The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

  The Body Storage commander’s face iced over, eyes panicked endlessly.

  If Dantai Xuan died...

  Great Xuan... what then?

  ...

  "Northern Xuan King, I've always had a question?"

  Liu Yuanhao asked relaxedly, smiling at Dantai Xuan.

  "Speak."

  Dantai Xuan gripped his guard sword, calm.

  He wasn't weak; once a grandmaster, vital blood exploding multiple times.

  But grandmasters were mere mortals—no chance against Liu Yuanhao.

  The sword was his final defiance.

  He wouldn't surrender easily.

  Liu Yuanhao ignored the sword as if unseen.

  A mortal's blade... useless?

  He dismissed it.

  "Why must the Northern Xuan King oppose my Black Dragon Cult?"

  "Great Xuan and Xiliang are enemies, no? Helping eliminate Xiliang—wouldn't that benefit you?"

  "Why send troops to aid Xiliang?"

  Liu Yuanhao pressed.

  His smile faded gradually.

  Dantai Xuan paused—unexpected question.

  This was why the assassination?

  He suddenly found it amusing.

  Fingering the sword hilt, Dantai Xuan eyed Liu Yuanhao: "Because you colluded with Tianyuan Foreign Land powerhouses..."

  "Just that?"

  Liu Yuanhao narrowed eyes, suppressed anger in his voice.

  Dantai Xuan's lips curled. "Or simply... this king finds you displeasing."

  Words fallen...

  Dominance burst from Dantai Xuan.

  Liu Yuanhao's face darkened.

  "Northern Xuan King... times have changed."

  Liu Yuanhao said.

  "Five Phoenixes Continent is no longer White Jade Capital's era; it's a new cultivator age..."

  "The Overlord fought a Nascent Soul, beheaded... yet White Jade Capital didn't intervene. Know what comes next?"

  Liu Yuanhao's finger burned a strand of pale white chilling flame.

  Crackling quietly, as if consuming air.

  "Tianyuan Foreign Land teems with experts. Four Great Holy Lands: Martial Emperor City, Qian Female Palace, Absolute Blade Sect, Heavenly Virtual Palace... all with Infant Transformation overlords!"

  "They feared White Jade Capital before—Young Master Lu's peerless brilliance suppressed an era."

  "But now, with Young Master Lu and White Jade Capital hidden, this probe shows even without Infant Transformation tops, Nascent Souls suffice to crush Five Phoenixes' cultivation world."

  Liu Yuanhao clenched fist; the flame exploded.

  "A brutal era, one of upheaval."

  "When Tianyuan invaders come, the world falls under their control... overturned. Rather than foolish resistance, ally or submit early—avoid tragic suppression."

  Liu Yuanhao's words carried suppressed ambition.

  Dantai Xuan fell silent.

  He eyed Liu Yuanhao—each had their views and paths.

  Compared to Tianyuan, Five Phoenixes experts were weaker.

  The Overlord-Zhou Haisheng battle lit the fuse; future... perhaps tougher.

  Liu Yuanhao grinned: "Northern Xuan King, I know you're smart..."

  "I know in your eyes, I'm the villain..."

  Complex emotions in his eyes, he chuckled lowly: "But this world forced me into villainy."

  He recalled pre-growth, pre-immortal fate—without Black Dragon Guards, bullied in the gang, beaten like a cockroach, rat in shadows; survival a luxury.

  From then, he vowed to stand at the peak.

  Dantai Xuan watched—this man had a story.

  But...

  Who didn't?

  Just "different paths, no common ground."

  ...

  Dongyang Commandery.

  Whistling breaks sounded endlessly.

  Tianyuan forces had gathered in Dongyang, awaiting White Jade Capital's stance.

  Now probed: Nascent Soul actions didn't cross the line.

  Thus... unrest stirred.

  Five Phoenixes' resources too tempting to ignore.

  Nine Prisons Secret Realm, Trial Tower, Dragon Gates... spirit stone veins—all alluring.

  Four Great Holy Lands stayed put.

  But...

  Other Tianyuan forces departed Dongyang, spreading across Five Phoenixes.

  Especially Wolong Ridge—more disciples learned Nine Prisons gates yielded spirit crystals, opening to pills, methods, artifacts. They flocked outside.

  Original family cultivators stationed clashed with Tianyuan disciples; conflicts brewed.

  ...

  Origin Lake, Heart Island.

  Giant whale bore the immortal island, bobbing in vast seas.

  On the island...

  Ni Yu finished daily cultivation, Little Ying dragon atop her head, hugging the Universal Mirror gleefully.

  With Little Ying controlling the mirror, Ni Yu waited no more for Ning Zhao.

  Ning Zhao cultivated maniacally—beyond Young Master's plan, adding more, squeezing every moment.

  Ni Yu hugged the mirror.

  Watching Xiliang chaos.

  All Xiliang in uproar; Ni Yu watched amused.

  Xiliang powerhouses puzzled: how to reattach the Overlord's head?

  Live headless forever?

  Renowned physicians rushed in, but shook heads in failure.

  Reattaching...

  Impossible.

  One planned glue; Ni Yu laughed till sides split.

  A thirty-year embroidery auntie invited by Xu Chu to teach stitching the head.

  Xu Chu, burly oaf, fearing mishaps, stitched himself.

  Poor Xu Chu's eyes bloodshot from strain.

  Neck and head sewn finally.

  But...

  Useless; head wouldn't connect to body.

  The auntie politely lifted and tossed out by Xu Chu.

  Ni Yu nearly teared from laughter.

  Reattaching the Overlord's head...

  These people were hilarious.

  "But it is a problem—how to reattach?"

  Ni Yu pondered post-laughter.

  A breeze blew.

  Lu Fan in white sat in Thousand Blades Chair, gliding slowly.

  Ni Yu spotted strolling Lu Fan; eyes lit.

  "Young Master... can the Overlord's head be reattached?"

  Ni Yu asked curiously.

  Plucking peach petals one by one, Lu Fan paused at the question.

  Glanced at Ni Yu and mirror scene.

  "Reattach... of course possible."

  "Three ways."

  Lu Fan said, stripping petals.

  "Three ways?"

  Ni Yu stunned.

  "First: this young master acts..."

  Lu raised a finger.

  "Second: not hard—look to Gongshu Yu..."

  Ni Yu frowned.

  Gongshu Yu?

  That iron-forging old man?

  "Gongshu Yu excels at hidden weapons; now Heavenly Lock, crafting a spirit tool to fix the Overlord's head isn't difficult."

  Ni Yu inhaled deeply. "And the last?"

  Lu glanced at her.

  "Last, simplest: Overlord breaks to Three Gods Realm... with Unyielding intent, regrow a head—no issue."

  Lu said.

  Then controlled the chair, floating away lightly as he came.

  Leaving shocked Ni Yu pinching a sugar-coated Body Tempering Pill from her pouch, swallowing to calm nerves.

  ...

  In truth...

  Lu's three ways made sense.

  Outside Wolong Ridge, small city.

  Sweaty from forging, Gongshu Yu sipped hot tea, eyed wooden apprentice Ah Lu hammering blankly, wiped beard.

  "Ah Lu, come."

  Bare-chested Ah Lu dropped hammer, wiped sweat, approached.

  "Master."

  Ah Lu grinned foolishly.

  "Go to Xiliang; tell those fools to bring the Overlord and head..."

  "Tell them: for reattachment help, trade 'Dragon Saliva Stone' from Dongyan River Dragon Gate."

  Gongshu Yu said.

  Ah Lu blinked: "What's Dragon Saliva Stone?"

  "Since Dragon Gates' birth, spiritual qi geysers—each yields one 'Dragon Saliva Stone.' Five Phoenixes' rarest material for profound-tier spirit tools."

  Gongshu Yu stroked beard.

  As refiner, he eyed materials.

  Of course, Dragon Saliva Stone info from Lu Fan.

  Lu said touch after Heavenly Lock.

  Now crossed, Gongshu Yu could safely.

  Ah Lu half-understood, but profound-tier material? Definitely treasure.

  ...

  Northern Commandery.

  Tai Ridge summit.

  Atmosphere froze to extreme.

  Every Xuanwu Guard sweated palms in tension.

  They stared at Dantai Xuan's pavilion—silent inside, but the silence nightmare-impacted hearts.

  How was the king?

  Killed by Liu Yuanhao already?

  Fearing for his life, Guards dared not move.

  Black Dragon Guard gripped sword, pole-like at door.

  Inside...

  Terribly quiet.

  As "no common words," Liu Yuanhao spoke no more; pale white flame danced on fingers.

  Long after...

  Liu Yuanhao smiled.

  "Northern Xuan King..."

  "Since no more to say, on your way."

  Liu Yuanhao said.

  Rising slowly.

  Boom!

  Body Storage peak aura spread, filling.

  Winds howled inside.

  Great Xuan Academy students' exam papers scattered.

  Dantai Xuan saw—furious!

  Sword raised standing.

  Liu Yuanhao sneered.

  To him, the sword was final stubbornness.

  How could a mortal fight a cultivator?

  Dantai Xuan wasn't the Overlord.

  For the Overlord, he'd plot carefully.

  But...

  Dantai Xuan: incomplete Qi Core mortal.

  "Die."

  Liu Yuanhao's face iced.

  Kill Dantai Xuan—Five Phoenixes chaos...

  Waters muddied enough; Black Dragon Cult gains in turmoil.

  Hum...

  Pale white flames morphed.

  Soon, a pale white flame blade.

  Thrust at Dantai Xuan's face.

  Heart tightened.

  Too fast!

  Liu Yuanhao too swift!

  Dantai Xuan barely reacted; the blade reached his nose tip.

  One more inch: pierce brain.

  Death... so close to Dantai Xuan.

  Yet his heart stayed untensed—mysteriously calm, composed.

  Ding!

  The enlarging flame blade halted in his eyes.

  Strands of profound yellow qi cascaded like bolts.

  Liu Yuanhao froze, then pores contracted, hairs stood!

  A golden dragon roar exploded the firmament.

  Seated Dantai Xuan, hair flying, eyes torch-like; one hand sword, the other drew a great seal.

  Seal gleamed gold.

  Interplaying with imperial dragon qi draping his back.

  Dantai Xuan eyed the seal, then horrified Liu Yuanhao.

  Stunned momentarily—didn't expect himself this strong!

  Turns out, he too was a man blessed with immortal fate!

  Dantai Xuan grinned wildly.

  Hefted the seal, smashing toward Liu Yuanhao's head.