The Heavenly Palace Over Tianluo

Everyone was dumbfounded. Could it be that the God of Misfortune had returned to the world? That single phrase—'Friend Daoist, please stay your steps'—proved even more effective than the legendary one from antiquity, somehow forcing a whole group of people to retreat.

'I mean no harm. I am merely following orders to bring everyone to the foot of the Heavenly Palace in the Tianluo Kingdom. Opening the ancestral god's legacy palace requires the collective willpower of many cultivators.'

God of Misfortune!

Whether he was Shen Gongbao himself or his descendant Shen Xibao, everyone was unanimous in deciding they could not walk with him. With that look of misfortune, mingling with him would surely lead to no good end.

Many wanted to flee, but under the spell of those words—'Friend Daoist, please stay your steps'—no one could seem to move a single step.

At first, Xiao Chen felt his mind grow hazy, but the moment his profound art stirred, he awoke again, keenly aware that this wretched Daoist was exceedingly uncanny—no ordinary man.

Nevertheless, even though Xiao Chen had regained his alertness, he did not leave. He continued forward with the crowd.

The God of Misfortune formed hand seals and muttered incantations, then suddenly shouted: 'Five Elements Piercing Dust—Earth Escape!'

Everyone felt a jolt, then plunged beneath the ground. Yellow light shimmered around them, and they shot forward through the earth at tremendous speed, as if crossing space itself.

The Earth Escape technique was hardly a great divine art—many cultivators at the Spirit-Treasury realm could perform it—but to move several hundred people at once was truly astonishing.

They traveled underground for an entire day before surfacing again. By then they had entered the borders of the Tianluo Kingdom.

This was a vast, boundless grassland, lush and verdant, brimming with life. Tens of thousands of cultivators had already gathered here.

And in the sky, a palace complex hung motionless, wreathed in rosy clouds. Fluffy white clouds drifted gently around it, illuminated by the colorful radiance.

This was the Heavenly Palace that had caused such a stir, drawing countless cultivators from the continent over the past three years. One after another, ancient treasures like the Dragon-Slaying Blade, the Demon-Sealing List, the Sacrificial Altar, and the Longevity Tree had emerged.

Dozens of divine artifacts had already been claimed by powerful cultivators. After that, no one could obtain anything more. The central ancient hall could not be breached. Even from the ground, one could see billions of starlight converging upon it, shining bright and dazzling.

The God of Misfortune vanished after delivering the crowd. The vast grassland was dotted with countless silhouettes. Most cultivators could not fly and had come merely to watch the spectacle.

In the sky, many figures also hovered. Among them were not only humans but also many exotic races.

A dozen Fallen Angels, their black wings folded, stood quietly in one corner with black mist curling around them. They coldly surveyed the Heavenly Palace above.

In another direction, seven or eight colossal creatures hovered—several dozen meters long. They were Winged Dragons, their scales gleaming with light, dragon qi radiating outward, forming an immense pressure.

Further forward, three savage beasts stood, their presence oppressive. Even those on the ground could clearly feel the pressure. Few among them recognized these beasts, but those who did were shocked.

One was a ten-zhang-long monster, shaped like a jackal but covered in dark scales, surrounded by a bloody mist. Its murderous aura towered to the heavens. Some older cultivators recognized it—it was the legendary Ya Zi. Ya Zi required vengeance for the smallest grievance, and revenge always meant killing. Because it presided over slaughter, it was often carved onto weapons of war.

Beside it, a nine-zhang-long savage beast resembled an angry lion, wreathed in a smoky mist, its body covered in dense scales. This beast was also recognized—it was the legendary Suan Ni, often carved onto incense burners.

Next to them was a ten-zhang-long monster with a dragon's head, a horse's body, and unicorn hooves. It resembled a lion, covered in white scales, fierce and mighty. Most people recognized this one—it was the legendary Pi Xiu, also called Tianlu or Bixie, often carved into jade pendants worn around the neck.

Ya Zi, Suan Ni, and Pi Xiu were all legendary savage beasts of tremendous origin. They had rarely appeared in the world. Some even said they were sons of the Ancestral Dragon, offspring of the Ancestral Dragon's unions with other races.

The fact that such mighty beasts had been drawn here was enough to prove the rumors—this Heavenly Palace was very likely the legacy palace of the ancestral god Youchao.

'I suspect these Ya Zi, Suan Ni, and Pi Xiu we see cannot be the original Dragon Sons themselves. They are most likely their descendants.'

'That is not certain! Watch your tongue!'

An immense pressure descended, and those whispering on the ground immediately fell silent.

Further away, more colossal shapes flew in, wrapped in dark clouds. Their true forms were hard to discern, but they were clearly not human. They all had the ability to take human form but disdained to do so. Those who dared come here were undoubtedly super-strong experts of the beast race, some likely ancient great demons.

Divine light flickered; flames blazed. Xiao Chen spotted a familiar figure—a five-colored phoenix. It was the Phoenix Maiden he had met in the Southern Wastes. Beside her wobbled an adorable little phoenix. They did not approach but watched from a distance, clearly not here to seize treasures. Xiao Chen guessed she had brought the little phoenix to broaden its horizons.

Perhaps because of the phoenix divine feather, the five-colored Phoenix Maiden sensed his presence. Her beautiful eyes swept two beams of light toward Xiao Chen's direction, and she gave a slight nod. At the same time, a voice sounded in his mind: 'I know what happened in Heavenly Emperor City. Since they dared to despise my divine feather, I will help you settle this score another day.'

With those words, she led the wobbling little phoenix away.

Though there were many exotic races, none pressed too far forward, as if they were unwilling to fight to the death for the treasures.

Those truly close to the Heavenly Palace were human cultivators—many Daoists and monks, and even more in secular dress. A few cultivators who looked like warriors even rode celestial horses in the sky.

But because the distance was too great and the figures too numerous, their faces could not be made out clearly.

'Damn, I heard even the Undying Evil King of the Southern Wastes has gone up. That's a ruthless character! He hasn't appeared in the world for a thousand years!'

'You only just heard? Even the detached and serene Zhang Sanfeng has been stirred and has flown up.'

'Could it truly be the legacy palace of the ancestral god Youchao? Otherwise, how could so many great figures be roused? I personally saw Dipankara Buddha fly up—no mistake about it. He looks exactly like the statue in the temple.'

The tens of thousands of cultivators below buzzed with discussion. This was a rare grand gathering; many great names had shown themselves.

'Quick, look—who is that Daoist flying up?'

'I don't know. What is that object in his hand? It's gleaming silver...'

'Could it be the legendary Primordial Command Token?'

As they were speaking, a cultivator carrying a square seal in his hand, like an immortal among men, led a few people into the sky.

'Heavens, I feel that seal in that Daoist's hand looks like the terrifying Heaven-Overturning Seal from the ancient war! It matches the legendary description exactly!'

Immortal light blazed. Another group of cultivators flew up.

Three hours later, the sky was thick with figures. At that moment, resplendent multicolored clouds swept across the horizon, five divine lights illuminating the heavens, heading straight for the Heavenly Palace. Even the powerful figures suspended in the sky had to yield and make way.

'A super heavyweight has arrived. Could that be Kong...'

'Shh! Are you tired of living? Do you dare speak that man's name?!'

Xiao Chen knew that it must be Kong Xuan, the one who had fought the world alone with his Five-Colored Divine Light. He had seen this formidable man in the underworld.

No sooner had the Five-Colored Divine Light settled in the sky than seven more beams of rainbow light flew over from the distance, like heavenly rainbows, illuminating the entire sky.

'Damn, could that be... the legendary Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree?'

'You've had enough of living! Shut up!' whispered someone frantically.

'Hush—no more words! The master of the Five-Colored Divine Light and the master of the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree are mortal enemies!' Then Kong Xuan, who had arrived, gave a cold snort that shook everyone's heart like a thunderclap.

When Xiao Chen first saw the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree, he immediately thought of the Seven-Colored Sacred Tree inside his own body. They were somewhat similar, both seven-colored, but fundamentally different in nature.

The owner had not yet arrived but the treasure tree had flown here. This alone was enough to demonstrate a status so illustrious that even the mighty would withdraw. This was a supreme being that made all experts retreat.

Now, no one had any doubts. This Heavenly Palace was definitely the legacy palace of the ancestral god Youchao. Otherwise, no ordinary treasure could have roused such heaven-defying great figures.

'Gather your willpower! Break through the gate!' The resonant voice echoed through heaven and earth, like the tolling of a great bell, alerting and shaking the soul.

Everyone felt their consciousness surge toward the high heavens. It was not about strength but about the share of collective will—this was the key to unlocking the ancestral god's legacy palace.

A sacred radiance, like the Milky Way in reverse, rushed toward the Heavenly Palace.

A rumbling sound spread across the sky, like a massive door opening.

At that moment, divine light blazed in the sky, and many powerful figures began to move, charging toward the Heavenly Palace.

One man rode a celestial horse, exuding authority without a weapon in hand, but his murderous aura soared to the clouds.

The dazzling Five-Colored Divine Light, said to be able to brush away all things, shot toward the ancient hall first.

A giant butterfly fluttered gracefully, tearing through space to appear before the Heavenly Palace gates.

And the Seven Treasures Wonderful Tree traversed space, directly appearing in front of the hall, sweeping out a blinding seven-colored divine light.

At that moment, from the high heavens above, four swords a thousand meters long manifested out of thin air. Their murderous aura pierced the sky. The Four Immortal-Slaying Swords came cleaving down, their overwhelming power surging like a vast ocean, rolling and sweeping downward!