Above the Jiannan Realm, the sky churns with wind and clouds. Bright beams of divine light, like lightning, intermittently streak across the heavens, plunging into the boundless sea.
All living beings in this vast world tremble with unease.
Swish.
In the sea, waves surge skyward, accompanied by roaring sounds.
On an uninhabited island, a holy army is arrayed, each soldier clad in skeletal black armour, wielding divine bone blades. Above them hovers a towering Gate of Destiny, ten thousand feet high, belonging to the renowned Skeleton King Holy Army under the Destiny Temple of the Hell Realm.
The radiance from the Gate of Destiny illuminates the darkness, causing the water’s surface to shimmer with reflected light.
Skeletal bird mounts carry Great Saint-level skeleton generals, patrolling above the sea.
Four deities float above this uninhabited island.
The Yin-Yang Divine Master, the Seven Lords, the Heavenly God Xiuchen, and an elderly white-haired woman from the Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm, known as Granny Earth, are among them.
Granny Earth’s surname is Gushen.
Few know her given name.
Gushen Jing stands beside Granny Earth, her expression delicate and pitiable.
Under the deities’ questioning, Gushen Jing has already recounted everything she knows.
Swish!
From the sea’s surface, a white divine light rises, soaring toward the sky.
“Haha, as expected, someone has broken through to divinity within. I sense an exceptionally pure source aura on her,” Heavenly God Xiuchen says, extending a divine hand. Instantly, a radiant hand, stretching ten thousand miles, forms in the void.
The white divine light halts, revealing Bai Qing’er’s figure.
Sensing the terrifying divine power in the radiant hand, far surpassing her current cultivation, she shields herself with sixty-five bronze bells, erupting with the speed of flowing light, flying directly toward the four divine giants.
Seeing her approach, the four divine giants display expressions of surprise.
Instead of fleeing, she flies toward them. Such audacity.
Gushen Jing whispers to Granny Earth, “She is Bai Qing’er. The so-called Ji Fanxin is her transformed identity.”
In an instant, Bai Qing’er appears before the four divine giants, hovering in midair. The sixty-five bronze bells orbit her, emitting melodious divine sounds.
Her gaze settles on Heavenly God Xiuchen, and she says, “Xiuchen, what guidance do you have for me?”
Heavenly God Xiuchen’s eyes narrow sharply. “Little girl, you’ve just become a deity, yet you dare address me by name. Do you know you’ve committed the sin of disrespect? In the divine realm, there are fewer taboos and rules. Offending a deity stronger than you risks your fall.”
The rule that “deities cannot interfere in the mortal world” exists to protect Saint Realm cultivators, just as many great worlds have rules prohibiting Saints from meddling in mortal affairs.
The divine realm is far crueler than Saint Realm cultivators imagine, with overt and covert struggles far more intense.
To Heavenly God Xiuchen, Bai Qing’er is merely a new deity from the Twelve Goddess Pavilions, lacking any significant backing. The pavilion’s leader, Empress Bai, is not someone Xiuchen takes seriously.
This new deity caused chaos in the Saint Realm, creating countless killings and offending nearly every major force in the Hell Realm.
Now, Xiuchen senses a strong source aura on her, indicating she must have obtained a vast amount of Source Mysteries.
In such circumstances, even if Xiuchen does not slay her to seize the mysteries, other deities from major forces will surely target her under the pretext of vengeance.
If so, why not strike first?
Possessing a large amount of Source Mysteries could greatly increase Xiuchen’s chances of reshaping its divine body, recondensing its divine source, and surviving the upcoming Yuan Epoch Tribulation. This requires mastering over one percent of the Source Mysteries.
Bai Qing’er lets out a disdainful laugh. “Calling your name offends you? If you, Xiuchen, are so easily offended, don’t you have enemies everywhere? No wonder your temple was toppled by the deities of the Xue Jue Family!”
“No matter how sharp your tongue is, what does it matter? In the divine realm, strength ultimately decides everything.”
At Heavenly God Xiuchen’s feet, a sea of time emerges, spreading toward Bai Qing’er.
The Yin-Yang Divine Master interjects, “Her father is the Great God Huangtian. If Heavenly God wishes to act, please show some restraint to give Great God Huangtian some face.”
As deities of the Destiny Temple, they naturally strive to mediate conflicts among the Hell Realm’s deities.
If Xiuchen acts without restraint and kills Bai Qing’er to seize her Source Mysteries, would Great God Huangtian let it pass?
Though Huangtian may lack affection for Empress Bai, the death of his daughter would likely spark an irreconcilable feud.
How could Heavenly God Xiuchen have known that a new deity from the Twelve Goddess Pavilions was Huangtian’s daughter?
It immediately understands why the Yin-Yang Divine Master, the Seven Lords, and Granny Earth, despite sensing the vast Source Mysteries, did not act first. Any force would think twice before crossing a figure like Huangtian.
After all, who knows when Huangtian’s title might change to “God King Huangtian” or “God Sovereign Huangtian”?
Unlike War God Xue Jue, Huangtian rarely stirs trouble, but anyone who provokes him pays a heavy price.
“Even if she’s Huangtian’s daughter, so what? Offending me means she must face consequences.”
Others may fear Huangtian, but Xiuchen does not.
In terms of raw strength, Xiuchen believes itself to be no less than Huangtian.
Moreover, other deities fear Huangtian because they have clans and forces. If Huangtian attacked, countless clan members would die, and their forces would be devastated.
But Xiuchen’s forces have already been destroyed by the three deities of the Xue Jue Family. Now, having joined the Qinglu God Temple, if Huangtian attacks there, God King Qinglu would handle it. What does it have to do with Xiuchen?
Furthermore, if Xiuchen cannot obtain the Source Mysteries, it may not survive the impending Yuan Epoch Tribulation. Thus, even if Huangtian were a God King or God Sovereign, Xiuchen would not back down.
Suddenly, a grey cloud mass surges from the eastern horizon.
The cloud, fierce and clawing, stretches from south to north, filling the eastern sky. A formidable divine aura arrives with it, sensed by all the deities present.
“Bai Qing’er, explain clearly how Yuan Qianmo died,” a voice demands. From the grey deathly cloud, a majestic temple emerges, seemingly thousands of meters tall.
To construct one’s own temple signifies no ordinary being.
On the temple’s gate, the words “Final Dharma” are faintly visible.
The Yin-Yang Divine Master and the Seven Lords exchange a glance, then clasp their fists, saying in unison, “Greetings, God King.”
Even before a God King, they only need to clasp their fists, not bow.
In the divine realm, giants need only do the same, even before a God Sovereign.
Heavenly God Xiuchen feels frustrated, realizing Final Dharma God King is here to seize the Source Mysteries. But as a mere soul deity, how can it contend with a God King?
Moreover, Final Dharma God King represents the Death Temple, which Xiuchen fears deeply.
Under the Final Dharma God King’s divine aura, Bai Qing’er feels an overwhelming pressure, unable to breathe. Even having reached the divine realm, she seems far inferior before such a being.
Bai Qing’er says, “Yuan Qianmo was killed by Wuma Jiuxing. Why ask me?”
“The world knows Wuma Jiuxing is your close ally. I have reason to suspect you’re also the culprit.”
Suppressed by the God King’s divine aura, Bai Qing’er is forced to the sea’s surface, yet she shows no weakness, laughing loudly, “A mighty God King meddling in mortal disputes? I see your investigation into Yuan Qianmo’s death is a pretext. Your real aim is to avenge the Death Temple’s Great Saints I killed. No, wait, you’re after the Source Mysteries I possess.”
“Insolent!”
From the temple, two divine sounds erupt, transforming into two bone dragons, each tens of miles long, intertwining as they surge toward Bai Qing’er.
Locked in place, Bai Qing’er cannot move.
The Yin-Yang Divine Master’s expression darkens, about to intervene to deflect the God King’s attack. But the two bone dragons, ten meters from Bai Qing’er, disintegrate into strands of divine mist.
All the deities are shocked.
The Yin-Yang Divine Master, the Seven Lords, Granny Earth, and Heavenly God Xiuchen look around, searching for the one who intervened.
Though the God King only uttered two words, neutralizing them is no small feat.
“Who’s there? Show yourself,” Final Dharma God King roars.
A terrifying event unfolds, nearly causing all the cultivators present to faint.
The Final Dharma Temple, floating in the grey deathly cloud, suddenly sinks into the sea, then abruptly rises again.
The temple spins in midair, then crashes back into the sea.
Boom! Boom!
It’s as if an invisible hand grips the temple, toying with it like a plaything.
Inside, Final Dharma God King cannot control his temple, his body tumbling, roaring in anger.
The cultivators, including the Seven Lords and the Yin-Yang Divine Master, turn pale, unable to comprehend who in the universe could toy with a God King so.
Bai Qing’er seems to guess something, her beautiful eyes gazing toward a point on the sea. “Old Fisherman, is that you?”
“Hehe!”
A laugh echoes through the heavens, and the sea begins to boil.
The tumbling Final Dharma Temple suddenly arcs through the air, hooked by a fishing line as thin as a cow’s hair, suspended in the starry sky above.
Indeed.
In the Jiannan Realm, where no stars shone, a starry sky appears, with an ancient, dilapidated wooden boat floating within.
At this sight, the Yin-Yang Divine Master, the Seven Lords, and Granny Earth are deeply moved, bowing in unison to the sky. Even Heavenly God Xiuchen, who never bows to anyone, lowers its proud head.
The Star Sea Fisherman, equal to the Life and Death Lord of Tiannan, is a being with mental strength surpassing the ninetieth tier, capable of contending with heaven and earth. Who would not fear or respect such a figure?
