Chapter 490: Dao Brother, You Have to Believe Me, I Really Am from the Tianshi Sect

The fifth layer contains only nine floating islands. Venerable Bai Han’s 法界 here makes the Hou Bian power several times stronger than that of the forty-nine islands in the fourth layer.

As Palace Master Jixia and Zhao Xing landed together on the edge of Crescent Island, they immediately felt the pressure.

With a sizzling sound, the black soil of Crescent Island crystallized on a large scale, then shattered into sand. A layer of the ground suddenly vanished, transforming into vapor that ascended into the clouds.

With a cracking sound, Zhao Xing had originally activated the Heart Dragon Transformation, but now even his crystal scales showed cracks.

Even with a layer of Azurebloom covering him, the Azurebloom magical power was consumed at an extreme rate. If he were to travel in the form of the Mind Emperor Dragon, he could only last for a maximum of ten days or so.

As for the Primordial Avatars? The Hou Bian effect impacted the entire floating island, affecting not just living beings but also non-living objects. Only the ten strongest avatars could withstand it; the rest cracked open as soon as they were released from ordinary storage rings.

"Ju Dragon Transformation!" Zhao Xing immediately switched forms, performing the Myriad Dragons Transformation. His dragon scales flipped and changed like flowing water, turning an earthy yellow.

His form rapidly shrank, his scales became tighter, and a faint blue light covered him. A pearl appeared on his forehead.

The Ju Dragon excelled in passive defense; every inch of its internal flesh and blood was incredibly tough, and its body structure was exceptionally stable. After this transformation, he immediately became immune to the Hou Bian pressure of the fifth layer.

"Oh? What race is this?" Palace Master Jixia watched Zhao Xing's transformation with interest. "The two Dao origins of earth and wood are merged into his physical body. He can withstand the fifth-layer Hou Bian with his bare flesh without needing to activate any additional innate abilities."

Palace Master Jixia remained in his Moon Spirit Cat form, but he, too, was now enveloped in a layer of flames to resist the fifth-layer Hou Bian, unable to withstand it with his physical body alone.

"The Dragon race of my Great Zhou," Zhao Xing explained.

"Dragon race?" Palace Master Jixia nodded slightly. "Once we leave this place, I must visit your home dynasty."

"If Palace Master honors me with a visit, I will certainly offer my warmest welcome."

After adjusting themselves, the two quickly adapted to the Hou Bian environment of the fifth layer.

Palace Master Jixia spoke, "The Hou Bian power on Crescent Island has five total layers, primarily utilizing the Dao origins of water and fire. There are two layers of Fire Transformation, two layers of Water Transformation, and one layer of random transformation."

"Excluding the unknown and random fifth transformation, my magical power, when employing the Myriad Spirit Hou Bian method, can sustain me on this island for about seven years."

"If I were to engage in combat, the duration would be even shorter."

He was revealing his capabilities to Zhao Xing; since they were traveling together, it was natural to have a general understanding of each other's strength.

Although Zhao Xing's Hou Bian technique had endless variations, it was fundamentally the Myriad Spirit Hou Bian method of the Four Seasons Palace, merely with numerous templates.

Demon Ape Transformation, Divine Feather Transformation, Rock God Transformation, Myriad Dragons Transformation… all were derived from the cosmic changes of the Four Seasons and celestial phenomena.

The advantage was that it was very easy and fast to revert to his original form; by simply realigning the five elements and seasonal qi positions in the human body, he could switch rapidly and without harm.

Palace Master Jixia had initially assumed Zhao Xing would last for a shorter period than himself, but Zhao Xing's answer exceeded his expectations:

"Without combat, my magical power can sustain the Hou Bian state on the fifth layer for about thirty years."

"Thirty years?" Palace Master Jixia was stunned. That was more than four times his own duration!

In reality, Zhao Xing was being modest; he hadn't factored in the amplification from his Azurebloom and Red Lotus magical powers. Assuming no combat, he could cyclically alternate between these two magical powers to maintain the Hou Bian method, allowing him to survive on the fifth layer floating island for three hundred years. Only after three hundred years would his magical power be depleted.

In terms of cultivation of the Hou Bian method alone, Zhao Xing, who had comprehended hundreds of thousands of life Dao diagrams in the lower four layers, had already surpassed Palace Master Jixia.

Of course, Palace Master Jixia was not the strongest in the Hou Bian method within the Four Seasons Palace; the strongest was likely Palace Master Myriad Spirit.

"Whoosh, whoosh!"

As they spoke, the dragon and the cat quickly traversed mountains and valleys, arriving at the edge of the floating island's core region.

They tried to keep their flight altitude low because the clouds, wind, rain, and lightning constantly changed with the seasons in the sky, and the higher they went, the stronger the Hou Bian pressure became.

"It seems to be here," the Moon Spirit Cat suddenly stopped on a hill, its furry head looking around.

"There appears to be an anomalous fluctuation, different from the current Hou Bian rules, though it's very faint."

Zhao Xing also sensed it. The emergence of an ancient cultivation artifact could interfere with the fifth-layer floating island's Hou Bian.

However, it was difficult to detect this faint anomaly amidst the intense Hou Bian of the fifth-layer floating island.

On the fifth-layer floating island, the Hou Bian power was already comparable to that of a late-stage Emperor-level cultivator. Anyone who ascended to this layer was essentially constantly engaging in battle with a late-stage Emperor-level powerhouse.

In such high-intensity combat, being distracted by sensing a subtle anomalous fluctuation made even Palace Master Jixia uncertain.

Zhao Xing closed his eyes to sense, then said, "Palace Master, please shield me from the Hou Bian for a moment."

"Very well," the Moon Spirit Cat waved a paw, and a beam of moonlight descended. As the moonlight brightened, a spring breeze brushed their faces, swirling around Zhao Xing's dragon body.

Zhao Xing immediately switched to his Mind Emperor Dragon form, then his mental power spread across the entire floating island.

The Hou Bian fluctuations across the entire floating island boiled like an ocean, and beneath this ocean, a speck of light emitted ripples that continuously spread outwards.

"It's in there!" Zhao Xing pointed to a green mist barrier in the southern part of the floating island, less than ten thousand miles away.

"Let's go!"

The dragon and the cat swiftly plunged into the miasma.

The miasma swamp was formed by toxic gas generated on the floating island due to the Heavenly and Earthly Hou Bian fluctuations, intermingling the spiritual energies of heaven and earth.

Upon entering the toxic miasma, Zhao Xing and Palace Master Jixia both slowed down, as they also had to resist the miasma's invasion, similar to the medicinal pill rain in the first trial.

After half a day of progress, Palace Master Jixia became excited.

"Found it!"

Even without Zhao Xing's guidance, Palace Master Jixia had discovered the ancient cultivation artifact's presence himself, as a golden light shone through the mist ahead, revealing the artifact's outline to the naked eye!

"Meow!" Palace Master Jixia excitedly wanted to rush forward, but Zhao Xing held him back with a dragon claw. "Palace Master, there are other powerhouses present; don't be impulsive."

In Zhao Xing's mental perception, eight figures appeared within the golden misty light, all positioned closer than them.

Farther away, it seemed there were others lurking, aiming to reap benefits without effort.

"Zhao Xing, who's there?"

"I don't recognize them." Zhao Xing activated his Mind's Vigilance, allowing Palace Master Jixia to share his mental vision.

"I know two of them." Upon gaining the vision, Palace Master Jixia immediately clearly saw the eight figures in the mist. "It's Hu An and Bo Qiu… We arrived a step too late."

The golden light emanating from the toxic miasma was emitted by a small bronze cauldron, which had cleared a portion of the toxic gas, making the visibility clearer.

However, surrounding the small bronze cauldron were eight entities.

There were Hu An of the Carlos family, Bo Qiu the Horned Abyss Serpent, and six others whom they didn't recognize, but who were traveling together, all emitting late-stage Emperor-level fluctuations.

The three groups seemed to have arrived simultaneously, and none of them dared to make the first move to seize the bronze cauldron.

"There's probably no hope of getting the artifact," Palace Master Jixia shook his head.

Although the Horned Abyss Serpent was a late-stage Emperor-level cultivator, its innate talent, the Mind Abyss, could be considered a peak Emperor-level ability.

The six late-stage Emperor-level cultivators formed a well-matched team, and their strength was not to be underestimated.

Hu An Carlos, on the other hand, was a peak Emperor-level martial artist who could ignore the fifth-layer Hou Bian and toxic miasma with his physical body alone. He was one of the four strongest individuals and had lived on the fifth layer for a long time.

Palace Master Jixia was merely a late-stage Emperor-level cultivator, and even with Zhao Xing, they couldn't possibly contend with these individuals.

Even if some were from the imperial faction, when faced with such significant benefits, what did factions matter? If they truly clashed, they would probably die even faster.

"Indeed, there's not much hope," Zhao Xing also said.

Despite saying so, neither of them left immediately.

While not directly trying to seize it, maintaining a safe distance to observe the battle was still an option.

What if an opportunity arose? That artifact was even stronger than a top-tier Samsara Dao Weapon; who wouldn't want it?

"Hu An! You already have three artifacts!" Bo Qiu, still shrouded in a black robe, stared at Hu An. "You are a Qi Sect martial artist; why bother contending for external objects? Why not let me have it? I'll owe you a favor."

Hu An had a buzz cut and wore very ordinary linen clothes, appearing harmless. Yet, with him present, no one else dared to act rashly.

Hearing Bo Qiu's words, Hu An glanced at him indifferently. "You're not even human, so how can you owe a human favor? I'm not lacking, but I won't give it to you either."

"You!" Bo Qiu was immediately enraged. Among those present, only Hu An could see through his true form at a glance.

Because of this, he was extremely wary and dared not make the first move to seize the artifact.

"Brother Hu An," one of the six-person group to the south of the cauldron, a medical Dao Emperor, spoke up. "I am Zhong Qi from the Grand Purity Palace. Since you are not in need, we are willing to offer one million Profound Spirit Ancient Coins for you to withdraw from the contention, and an additional five hundred thousand Profound Spirit Ancient Coins after we leave this place."

"The Grand Purity Palace is a top-tier medical Dao force with considerable renown. To offer such a high price, this must be a supreme artifact," Palace Master Jixia said with some excitement.

Few top-tier Samsara Dao Weapons could fetch a million Profound Spirit Ancient Coins, but Zhong Qi of the Grand Purity Palace was willing to pay so much, clearly recognizing the bronze cauldron's value.

"Could this artifact be the one I saw before?" Zhao Xing's gaze penetrated the mist, attempting to discern it clearly.

In his previous life, the Primordial Hill had auctioned off a batch of ancient cultivation artifacts at their own auction. Zhao Xing's cultivation wasn't high then, but he joined the crowd to witness it.

This bronze cauldron now looked very much like the one he had seen.

"Transform!"

Zhao Xing once again switched forms, becoming an Emperor Dragon with a thousand compound eyes. He finally pierced through the layers of misty barriers and saw the clear appearance of the bronze cauldron.

Inside the bronze cauldron, a faint layer of pure yellow gas was contained.

"It really is it, the Two-Forms Cauldron that nurtures the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth!"

Zhao Xing instantly understood its value.

Venerable Bai Han, as a Half-God of the Celestial Phenomena School, excelled at the Hou Bian method and was also skilled at using it to collect the essence of heaven and earth.

Ultimately, the Celestial Phenomena School was also a school of husbandry. As a Half-God of husbandry on an inter-realm ship, they also knew how to cultivate.

The bronze cauldron artifact itself wasn't important, but the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth inside it was extremely valuable!

It was the essence formed from countless years of collecting the Six Qis of Heaven and Earth. Absorbing it was enough to cause a huge transformation in one's true spirit, and one's Dao cultivation realm could also advance to the next level.

The key point was that absorbing it could allow one to skip one True Spirit Tribulation!

If Bo Qiu the Horned Abyss Serpent, who had already passed three True Spirit Tribulations, absorbed it, it would be equivalent to him passing his fourth True Spirit Tribulation, and his innate secret techniques would become even more perfect.

Seeing this, Zhao Xing was also tempted.

At this moment, the Two-Forms Cauldron contained more Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth than during the auction, at least three portions!

Enough for him and Palace Master Jixia to risk it.

"Palace Master Jixia, let's take a shot at it."

"Hmm? Zhao Xing, this is no laughing matter…"

"There are three portions of Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth inside the cauldron."

"What? How are you so sure…"

"I'm sure. Senior Gu Luohe once…"

As an Emperor of the Celestial Phenomena School, Palace Master Jixia naturally knew the cauldron contained the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth, and his eyes immediately widened.

"Alright, if Hu An really withdraws, I'll go for it!"

Hu An Carlos was a peak Emperor-level cultivator who had steadily passed five True Spirit Tribulations.

The others, including Palace Master Jixia, had only passed three True Spirit Tribulations.

Zhong Qi, however, had passed his fourth True Spirit Tribulation and could also be called a peak Emperor-level cultivator, but he was a healer. His combat power was even inferior to that of Bo Qiu, the three-tribulation Emperor with powerful innate talents.

Assuming Hu An withdrew, Zhao Xing and Palace Master Jixia would have a chance to contend for it.

"Whoosh!"

A ring flew towards Hu An. He glanced at it, then nodded. "Alright, Zhong Qi, I'll grant you this favor."

With that, Hu An shot straight into the sky, actually leaving Crescent Island.

"He really left? Why didn't the Grand Purity Palace people ask Hu An to fight the Horned Abyss Serpent? Could it be a trap?" Zhao Xing felt a little suspicious.

"Asking Hu An to act, if they couldn't afford the price, then a favor? Zhong Qi doesn't have that much pull." Palace Master Jixia was very excited.

"Zhao Xing, you tie down the Horned Abyss Serpent, I'll seize the cauldron!"

Without time for further thought, they immediately acted.

"Boom!"

The moment they watched Hu An retreat, Bo Qiu suddenly burst out of his magic robe, revealing his true form, and activated his Mind Abyss to envelop the six Emperors, including Zhong Qi.

This caused the six-person group, who had moved closer due to their transaction with Hu An, to freeze in place for a moment. Meanwhile, the Horned Abyss Serpent exhaled a puff of black gas, sweeping towards the Two-Forms Cauldron.

"Spirit-Awakening Needles!"

Six golden divine needles immediately flew out of Zhong Qi's Azure Pouch, piercing into his and his teammates' heads.

The effects brought by the Mind Abyss were immediately weakened by more than half.

"World of Swords!"

"Five Blossom Realm-Shatter!"

Immediately, a mechanist and a sword Dao martial artist from the group made their moves.

The World of Swords enveloped the Horned Abyss Serpent, while the mechanist flung out five sharp, chrysanthemum-like Dao Weapons, which encircled the bronze cauldron.

The five spatial Dao Weapons immediately blocked the black gas, with space twisting and overlapping, as if wrapping it up.

The Horned Abyss Serpent moved for tens of thousands of miles, yet it was merely treading in place.

"Bastards!"

Bo Qiu was furious. Ever since revealing his true form, he had felt as though he was being targeted; these people were clearly prepared.

"Grow, grow, grow!" More parts of Bo Qiu's serpent body emerged from the New Divine Abyss. His serpent body coiled, and both pupils turned completely black.

He focused his mental power to attack the sword Dao Emperor and the Mechanist Emperor.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" Flaws appeared in the World of Swords, and only one percent of the sword qi struck Bo Qiu.

"Crack, crack, crack, hiss!" The five operating mechanical Dao Weapons ultimately failed to close, leaving a small opening.

As the two sides contended, the scales of victory once again tilted towards the Horned Abyss Serpent.

"Roar!!"

However, just then, Bo Qiu discovered a familiar roar suddenly echoing within his Mind Abyss domain.

Immediately afterward, a beam of moonlight burst from the toxic miasma, swiftly sweeping across the battlefield.

Palace Master Jixia, in his transformed Moon Spirit Cat form, used his extreme speed to arrive later but act first, swallowing the bronze cauldron in one gulp before gracefully departing.

After transforming, Palace Master Jixia excelled in speed, arguably the fastest among everyone present.

"Bastard! Stop him!" Zhong Qi exclaimed in alarm.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"

Divine needles pursued, and mechanical Dao Weapons quickly formed a pincer movement in front of the Moon Spirit Cat, attempting to trap it.

"Clang!"

The Moon Spirit Cat agilely pushed off, seizing the gap, and immediately turned back at a speed even faster than its arrival.

"Boom!"

A burst of cloud mist scattered, and the Moon Spirit Cat's figure instantly vanished, leaping out of the encirclement once more.

"What agile movement!" Zhao Xing stood in the mist, not directly participating in the battle, but seeing Palace Master Jixia's maneuvers, he was greatly impressed.

Even in his Moon Spirit Cat form, Palace Master Jixia could still use the Celestial Phenomena Cloud Technique to traverse space, truly worthy of an old senior who had cultivated for countless years.

Unlike Zhao Xing, who, when transformed into the Mind Emperor Dragon, couldn't use spells from his human form unless he transformed into a Demon Ape.

However, the Demon Ape's bloodline and form were, after all, closer to humans, whereas the Moon Spirit Cat's life structure was vastly different from that of humans.

"What are you waiting for? Let's go!"

The Moon Spirit Cat darted to the top of Zhao Xing's dragon horn, gripped it with its claws, and a mist enveloped its entire body before it warped through space again.

"Whoosh!"

Before the attacks from the Horned Abyss Serpent and Zhong Qi arrived, the cat and dragon vanished from the spot.

"Rumble!"

The moment they disappeared, the ground was instantly blasted into lava.

"Argh, you fools!" Bo Qiu roared in anger, chasing in the direction of Zhao Xing and Palace Master Jixia.

On the southern side of Crescent Island, at a mountain peak.

"Buzz!"

Cloud Qi suddenly emerged from the void, and then the dragon and the cat were ejected like cannonballs, crashing into the ground.

"Ugh!"

The Moon Spirit Cat spat out the small cauldron from the pit, its entire body steaming hot. "Oh my god, this cauldron is too heavy, it almost killed me… Zhao Xing, my magical power is at rock bottom, it's up to you now…"

The Moon Spirit Cat reverted to its human form and collapsed, instantly falling asleep.

The intricate maneuvers resulted in severe overdraft. Palace Master Jixia was no longer able to maintain his Hou Bian form and immediately fell unconscious.

Zhao Xing quickly protected Palace Master Jixia.

"I'll take it from here."

He swiftly put away the bronze cauldron, then prepared to leave, carrying Palace Master Jixia on his back.

"Swish, swish!"

Just then, a figure in linen clothes suddenly appeared in the sky.

It was Hu An, who had returned!

"Palace Master Jixia of the Four Seasons Palace."

"And you must be Zhao Xing of the Primordial Realm."

"This appearance is quite new."

Zhao Xing wanted to ascend and leave, but with a casual stomp of Hu An's military boot, space seemed to solidify, making it difficult for him to move.

"Stop struggling. Out of respect for Gu Luohe, I won't kill you. Hand over the artifact and anything valuable."

The Carlos family certainly knew how to do business; they wanted both money and goods. After dealing with Zhong Qi, they came for Zhao Xing.

"Senior, I am willing to hand it over," Zhao Xing immediately spat out the Two-Forms Cauldron and also took out a high-grade Samsara Dao Weapon from an an ordinary storage ring.

"As Senior also knows, due to the operational rules of the 法界 on the Extreme Star Floating Island, I cannot open my inner world or world rings. Everything I have is right here."

Hu An showed no intention of stepping aside. "That's too little. You're quite wealthy; this doesn't match your worth."

"Boom!"

Zhao Xing wasted no words. He immediately flung the Two-Forms Cauldron and the Samsara Dao Weapon into the distance, simultaneously switching to his human form and activating his Spaceless Teleportation.

Hu An Carlos reached for the Two-Forms Cauldron and high-grade Samsara Dao Weapon that were thrown away, while his other hand grabbed at Zhao Xing.

"Bang!"

Zhao Xing was crushed, and his materials scattered across the ground.

"The Primordial Avatar's Spaceless Teleportation…"

Hu An understood that Zhao Xing had escaped.

With hundreds of thousands of lower floating islands, he had no idea where Zhao Xing had teleported to, so he could only give up.

Of course, this was also because Zhao Xing had thrown away the Two-Forms Cauldron, distracting Hu An.

"Fine then." Primordial Avatars were inherently difficult to capture and kill. Seeing that the treasure was now in his hands, Hu An didn't dwell on it; if he ran, then he ran.

He glanced at the small cauldron; it was empty. He then casually tossed the Two-Forms Cauldron into his storage ring.

On Tooth Rock Island, Zhao Xing's figure appeared.

However, as soon as he stabilized himself, he immediately initiated a second Spaceless Teleportation, appearing on Starfish Island.

"The Carlos family members are indeed treacherous; he didn't leave at all, but was instead watching everyone."

"Fortunately, I also anticipated his anticipation."

Inside Zhao Xing's Dantian, there were now four extremely heavy wisps of dark yellow vital energy.

The four wisps of Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth had already been taken by him in advance.

"Palace Master Jixia."

Zhao Xing infused Azurebloom magical power into Palace Master Jixia's body to help him recover.

"Wh-what was the outcome?"

After waking up, Palace Master Jixia was still panting like a dog from exhaustion, but he remained concerned about the outcome.

"The plan succeeded. Hu An did try to seize it, but he didn't immediately go for the kill, and we managed to get the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth."

"Excellent! Excellent! Cough, cough…" Palace Master Jixia laughed heartily, but his Dharma body quickly trembled violently, and various parts began to disintegrate to different degrees.

"Palace Master, please rest for a while," Zhao Xing continued to transfer Azurebloom magical power to him for recovery.

"Alright, I'll rest first…" Palace Master Jixia no longer forced himself. Ever since he arrived at the Extreme Star Floating Island, he hadn't been well. He was either injured or on the way to getting injured.

"Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth."

Zhao Xing, meanwhile, inspected the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth within his body. It was incredibly dense, seeming to be the condensed essence of countless types of heavenly and earthly vital energies that had accumulated over eons. Looking at it, he felt his true spirit invigorated.

"I haven't even passed one True Spirit Tribulation yet; absorbing this now would be too wasteful," Zhao Xing mused.

The Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth seized the fundamental creation of heaven and earth, allowing one to skip one True Spirit Tribulation.

Nine tribulations for an Emperor to become a Half-God.

Aside from the True Spirit Tribulation for becoming a Half-God, the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth could be effective during any other tribulation.

"Each True Spirit Tribulation is stronger than the last. Using it here would be too inefficient. It should be used for the seventh and eighth tribulations to maximize its benefits."

Its value was immeasurable. If sold, even a Seven-Tribulation Emperor would be willing to offer their entire fortune, because it could truly save a life, allowing them to live another lifetime!

In the following days, Zhao Xing and Palace Master Jixia quietly recuperated on Starfish Island.

After recovering, Palace Master Jixia did not mention the Primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth to Emperor Black Sea or Emperor Xu Xing.

Wealth corrupts the heart, and he couldn't guarantee that those two wouldn't harbor ill intentions.

However, he trusted Zhao Xing and healed under his watchful eye; this was the effect of reputation.

Time passed, and the struggle on Crescent Island quickly concluded.

Three years later, Zhao Xing was observing the movements on the fifth layer floating islands.

"It's dangerous to ascend to the fifth layer and seek comprehension on other floating islands. Only Emperor Chixiao's location might offer hope."

Of the nine floating islands, four were claimed, and another was occupied by a monstrous version of Emperor Tianwu.

The other four were also difficult to focus on for comprehension, as people occasionally landed on them, and one might suffer a deadly attack while cultivating.

"When I was in the Primordial Sea Ancient Kingdom, I once requested Emperor Chixiao's help. Now, I wonder if he'll agree to let me go there to comprehend…"

With Wei Tianchen's prior example, Zhao Xing was now much more cautious.

"I still need to make contact. I have a Primordial Avatar, so even if I can't defeat Emperor Chixiao, I should still be able to escape with my life."

"If I don't ascend to the fifth-layer floating island to comprehend the Dao diagrams, I won't be able to contend with other Emperor-level powerhouses, let alone reach the sixth layer and clear it."

One day, three years later, Zhao Xing left Starfish Island and ventured onto Vermillion Sky Island, one of the nine floating islands in the fifth layer.

"Rumble!"

Vermillion Sky Island was enveloped in golden clouds, appearing entirely as a cloud island. Even the lower half of the island was encased in golden clouds, making it look less like an island and more like a sphere.

On the surface of the clouds, lightning and void winds formed intricate patterns, and terrifying fluctuations deterred anyone from approaching easily, indicating that the island's master was not to be trifled with.

"I heard from Emperor Black Sea and Emperor Xu Xing that besides Hu An, Sword Lord Ye Liuxin, and a mysterious individual, no one else dared to explore the fifth-layer Vermillion Sky Island."

"Emperor Chixiao hasn't visited other islands either; he's solely focused on comprehending on this island. He didn't even participate in the struggle when artifacts emerged."

Clearly, Emperor Chixiao had grander ambitions; he disdained mere artifacts, his target being only the three floating islands of the sixth layer.

"An old friend has come to visit; may Emperor Chixiao grant an audience."

Zhao Xing exhaled a gust of wind that landed on the cloud surface of Vermillion Sky Island, continuously calling out softly.

Inside the island, in an elegant and lofty pavilion, Emperor Chixiao sat cross-legged, facing a stone stele.

After hearing the commotion from outside, Emperor Chixiao suddenly opened his eyes. A flash of lightning flickered within them, and memories rapidly surfaced in his mind.

The final image settled on a scene from ten thousand years ago, within the Time Hut of the Primordial Sea Ancient Kingdom.

"Tian Ningzi…"

Emperor Chixiao extended a finger, and a hole instantly appeared in the clouds. Golden light descended, guiding Zhao Xing's descent.

"Since an old friend has come to visit, please enter the Cloud Pavilion for a discussion."

Zhao Xing didn't hesitate, immediately following the cloud path down to the interior of the island.

Outside, lightning flashed and fierce winds howled, but inside, there was complete tranquility.

Zhao Xing looked around. The island was sunny and pleasant, with clusters of flowers, grass, and trees, and even many pavilions standing tall. There was no sign of the Hou Bian effect whatsoever.

"Emperor Chixiao has completely conquered the fifth layer?" Zhao Xing was startled. During the Primordial Sea Dharma Assembly, among the nine Emperors, Zhao Xing had thought Emperor Chixiao's strength was inferior to Meng Wu, Wei Tianchen, and even Hong Shan.

But seeing him again now, Emperor Chixiao's strength seemed to have greatly improved.

When he met Emperor Chixiao in person, he discovered that the other party had already passed six True Spirit Tribulations, making him stronger than Hu An, who had only passed five.

"Should I call you Zhao Xing, or Tian Ningzi?" Emperor Chixiao watched Zhao Xing descend.

"Whatever pleases Dao Brother Chixiao," Zhao Xing replied.

"Hmph, you still dare to come see me." With Emperor Chixiao's cold snort, the heavens and earth suddenly changed color. Fierce winds howled, and thunder surged, creating a scene of doomsday.

Nine bolts of lightning shot straight towards Zhao Xing.

Zhao Xing remained motionless, as if ignoring these attacks.

Seeing this, Emperor Chixiao suddenly retracted the lightning bolts just as they were about to touch Zhao Xing.

"Aren't you afraid of death?"

"Since Dao Brother has no killing intent, what is there for me to fear?" Zhao Xing was panicking inwardly, but outwardly, he remained calm and unperturbed, slowly walking into the Cloud Pavilion and sitting before Emperor Chixiao.

"Not only do I not fear Emperor, but I also wish to ask Dao Brother for a favor."

"Hahaha? What a huge joke!" Emperor Chixiao burst into laughter. "You tricked me once before, and now you still want my help?"

"Go on, tell me how you want me to help you."

The reason Zhao Xing was so confident was primarily because he saw several spells from the Annihilating Star Six Qi Theory on Emperor Chixiao's status panel.

In other words, Emperor Chixiao had not only read his theories but also cultivated the spells.

The Annihilating Star Theory still contained many unresolved mysteries. Since Emperor Chixiao was so interested, not just studying the theory but also cultivating the spells, he surely wouldn't kill him immediately.

As long as he had a chance to speak, Zhao Xing believed there was no Master of Husbandry he couldn't handle.

"I merely wish to borrow Dao Brother Chixiao's precious land for cultivation for some years."

"You and I share a common pursuit."

Emperor Chixiao coldly snorted, "Are you referring to the sixth layer of the floating island? Then I should all the more kill you. Why would I let you become my competitor?"

Zhao Xing shook his head. "No, the common pursuit I speak of is not merely the small inheritance of this Bai Han Realm, but rather the propagation of the Celestial Phenomena School and the pursuit of the Celestial Phenomena Dao."

"Does Dao Brother know that the Annihilating Star Theory is not a theory of the Geographical Advantage School or the Ego School? Its true origin should be with the Celestial Phenomena School!"

Emperor Chixiao's attitude remained cold. "You didn't say that when you held the Dharma Assembly. The Six Qi Theory has a Geographical Advantage chapter, and an Ego chapter, but precisely no Celestial Phenomena chapter!"

Zhao Xing helplessly said, "Currently, in the Profound Spirit Star Domain, the Geographical Advantage School and the Ego School have the Primordial Hill and the Primordial Realm. Even if I wanted to propagate the Celestial Phenomena Dao, I am too weak. With these two great mountains pressing down, what can be done?"

Emperor Chixiao's expression softened slightly. "So, you also believe deep down that the Celestial Phenomena Dao is the mainstream and the ultimate Dao for saving the world?"

"Of course!" Zhao Xing pulled out an ancient book from his storage ring and slapped it onto the table. "My entire life, I have been pursuing the existence of the Extreme Star. Joining the Primordial Realm to cultivate Ego School spells, and even Geographical Advantage School spells, was merely a roundabout way of seeking the Dao."

"Dao Brother, this is the Celestial Phenomena Theory from the Annihilating Star Six Qi Theory. This is where the true essence lies. You are the first to see it. Does this not prove that you and I share the same aspirations? Does it not prove my philosophy?"

Emperor Chixiao wanted to blast Zhao Xing away and not listen to his nonsense, but the words changed at his lips. He instinctively picked up the ancient book and began to flip through it, asking at the same time, "Am I truly the first to see it?"

"Dao Brother, you must believe me! If I speak a single lie, may I be struck by lightning!" Zhao Xing declared solemnly.