Qiluo's heart was thrown into immense turbulence, unable to calm for a long time. She didn't know how much credibility Ancestor Xu's words truly held.
But since Ancestor Xu dared to say this, he must have something to rely on and confidence.
For this plan, Ancestor Xu had probably been laying the groundwork for an unknown length of time; even within the Heavenly Faction, it was likely that his power had infiltrated.
Those Sacrificial Priests might already have become his people.
It can only be said that, as expected of someone who truly followed the Lord of Heaven's Proxy, his mind and boldness are utterly beyond what ordinary beings can reach.
"Then what does Ancestor Xu want me to do?" Qiluo asked in a deep voice.
"The matter is simple. I merely wish for Sacrificial Priest Qiluo to help me delay one person when the time comes. After it's done, our deal is complete, with no further karmic entanglements. Moreover, I can impart many of my insights and experiences to you, sharing with you the secrets of the Lord of Heaven's Proxy." Ancestor Xu said with a faint smile, his voice still ethereal, hard to trace.
Qiluo's gaze hardened. She paid no heed to the many benefits Ancestor Xu mentioned afterward. There is no free lunch in this world. A person of Ancestor Xu's deep scheming would never hand over his insights and experiences so easily.
As for the person Ancestor Xu wanted her to delay, she had already guessed who it was.
It seemed Ancestor Xu did not intend to act personally, which was why he had arranged so many plans, even to the point of having her take part as well.
On the other hand, Ancestor Xu was being sufficiently cautious, likely worried that the Lord of Heaven's Proxy still had contingency plans.
"Ancestor Xu, just how highly do you overestimate my abilities? Do you really think that with my strength, I can delay the Grand High Priest?" Qiluo sneered.
"Regardless, you still possess half a piece of the flesh and blood of the Lord of Heaven's Proxy. If you wish to, you can naturally delay her. Besides, when the time comes, there will be people to help you..." Ancestor Xu still had that ethereal, indifferent, unfathomable tone, not revealing too much.
Qiluo's heart quailed again.
It seemed that things were much as she had guessed: Ancestor Xu had long planned to target the Heavenly Faction, and within the Heavenly Faction, he already had his own men.
She just didn't know how many of the other tribes among the Eight Tribes followed his orders and arrangements.
This unseen, terrifying conspiracy was like a great net, closing in on the Heavenly Faction.
The Grand High Priest's whereabouts had been elusive these years, appearing and disappearing mysteriously; no one knew what level her cultivation had reached.
After all, the Grand High Priest was the one who had followed the Lord of Heaven's Proxy the longest.
Even figures like Ancestor Xu had to take a back seat compared to her.
However, why was it that as powerful as the Grand High Priest was, she had never entertained the thought of betraying the Lord of Heaven's Proxy?
One must know that the other Lords of the Eight Legions had gone their separate ways and vanished after the end of the Black Calamity Era. It was even suspected that several Lords of the Eight Legions had been involved in the Heaven's Proxy Chaos back then.
"The time is not yet ripe. When the moment comes, I will naturally inform Sacrificial Priest Qiluo again."
The ethereal voice faded into the distance. Qiluo's thoughts churned. When she came to her senses again, the scene before her shattered, and she was already back in the desolate mountain range where she had arrived.
"Liu Yun, you have also followed the Grand High Priest before. What kind of person do you think she is?"
Beside the luxurious chariot, a beauty in white quietly waited, pure and untouched by the world, very transcendent.
Qiluo's eyes swept over her, seemingly recalling something, and she asked softly.
"The Grand High Priest possesses vast divine abilities and is all-powerful. She is not someone I can presumptuously speculate about," Fairy Liu Yun replied calmly, without a ripple.
"Truly watertight..."
Qiluo smiled, her gaze growing curious. "The Grand High Priest has had you follow me all along; it seems she already sensed something amiss with me. Is this meant to warn or remind me, or is there another meaning?"
Upon hearing this, Fairy Liu Yun remained silent.
Qiluo shook her head, finding herself snubbed, then raised her head to look at the clear, cloudless sky and suddenly sighed softly.
Although Ancestor Xu's methods were unfathomable and his schemes ran deep, the Grand High Priest was no pushover either.
All these years, the Heavenly Faction had been under her control. The three Sacrificial Priests ranked before her—did they truly not wish to meddle in the affairs of the Heavenly Faction, or were they simply unable to intervene?
There was no way to know.
The upper echelons of the Heavenly Faction had not seen those three Sacrificial Priest for many years, and there had been many rumors in secret, saying that those three Sacrificial Priest had long been secretly dealt with by the Grand High Priest for defecting from the Heavenly Faction.
It was precisely because of this that the later several Grand High Priest had emerged.
Had Ancestor Xu known about all this long ago, and that was why he had approached her? After all, she was now the fourth-ranked Sacrificial Priest in the Heavenly Faction.
"Knowing full well it's a pit, yet still dragging me down into it..."
"And why is the Grand High Priest so certain that the Lord of Heaven's Proxy will return? If it's true, what are the other Lords of the Eight Legions thinking?"
Qiluo suddenly sank into deep thought.
The Heavenly Faction and the Eight Tribes were once both part of Heaven's Proxy. The difference was that the Heavenly Faction was formed from the first confidants and subordinates of the Lord of Heaven's Proxy, while the Eight Tribes were the supreme experts from various tribes, clans, and civilizations subjugated later by the Lord of Heaven's Proxy.
Lesser Yin, Lesser Yang, the Luo Clan, the Sword Clan, Heavenly Decline, Zhuyou, Yanhun, Wuxiang.
Each tribe was an existence that once aspired to contend for the position of master of all worlds.
The sheer vastness and terror of this power was completely beyond the conjecture and imagination of later generations.
It was no exaggeration to say that at their peak, any single tribe of the Eight Tribes had strength comparable to that of the present Alliance of Righteous Unity.
If not for the vicissitudes of time, the ancient thriving and the present decline, the Alliance of Righteous Unity could not have stirred such storms in this age.
The day of the Immortal Dao Alliance's establishment was imminent. Countless civilizations, Dao lineages, true world clans across the Vast Expanse were casting their eyes toward it, closely following this matter. It could be said that this would influence the entire situation of the Vast Expanse going forward.
Putting aside other matters, once the Immortal Dao Alliance was established, the Vast Expanse would shift from a tripartite balance to a four-cornered balance.
The many clans and civilizations caught in between would gain a breathing space.
Divine rainbows pierced through the cosmos, ancient warships rumbled as they crushed through space-time tunnels. Many Dao lineages and civilizations had long since dispatched powerful experts to attend the ceremony. The Ethereal Sacred Domain was bustling with activity, decorated with lanterns and streamers. All cultivators and beings were discussing this event.
Many believed that after the Immortal Dao Alliance was established, the Ethereal Sacred Domain would become a new sacred ground, comparable to the headquarters of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and the central region of the Alliance of Righteous Unity.
This also gave the clans and forces that had always lived in the Ethereal Sacred Domain a sense of confidence and shared glory.
The movements of the Alliance of Righteous Unity also tugged at the hearts of countless clans and Dao lineages. Seeing many upper echelons of the Alliance set out, piloting domain-breaking ancient vessels and opening space-time passages to attend the gathering, nearly everyone breathed a long sigh of relief.
However, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's side still showed no movement. This kept many hearts in suspense—who knew if at the critical moment the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would suddenly dispatch a massive army to descend, conveniently netting the upper echelons of both the Immortal Dao Alliance and the Alliance of Righteous Unity in one fell swoop.
In Dao Prosperity True World, by the side of the Divine Kingdom, the Fate Divine Hall was situated in the eastern part of this vast starry sea—a boundless expanse dotted with myriad stars, both beautiful and coldly desolate.
In this region, large floating islands drifted; the surrounding mist was ethereal, blurry and hazy. Year-round it remained in a cold-toned state, never seeing brilliant light shine upon it.
At the center of this area, a vast complex of halls called the Divine Hall of Rituals stood, grand and solemn, exuding an ancient and majestic air.
Although the halls stretched on in rows, there was hardly any sign of living beings. It was so quiet that one could almost hear the cold wind sighing through the empty halls, echoing within.
Compared to other regions, this place was more like the legendary Guanghan Immortal Palace—cold and desolate all day, no sunlight to be seen, making one wonder if life still existed here.
"Lady, these past few days the Divine Kingdom has been livelier than ever before."
"I see many clans and sects leading their people here to offer congratulations."
Inside the central Divine Hall of Rituals, a young woman dressed in a red shrine maiden robe, her jet-black long hair tied with a crimson hair ribbon, wearing wooden clogs and holding a green lamp, was speaking in a very low voice while lighting the candles that were about to go out, and gazing at the distant, vast starry sea.
It was Wu Qi, the next hall master of the Fate Divine Hall, who also possessed the Fate Nothingness Physique.
Beside her, on a clean meditation cushion, a woman of exceptionally stunning beauty, now wearing the moon-white robe of a Chief Sacrificial Priest, was seated cross-legged.
Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, her expression calm and untroubled, exuding an otherworldly air, even more like a fairy from the Guanghan Palace on the Ninth Heaven.
Of course, she was also the master of this place: Xiao Ruoyin, the High Priest of Fate of the Divine Kingdom, also respectfully addressed as Lady Ruoyin.
"Because the Empress has emerged from seclusion, all the worlds of Dao Prosperity True World come to offer congratulations," Xiao Ruoyin said in a calm, cool voice.
"That Empress?"
Wu Qi's beautiful eyes widened, rather surprised and shocked.
She had been at the Fate Divine Hall for quite a while. What she heard the most were tales of Gu Changge, the Lord of the Divine Kingdom. Beyond that, it was about the Empress Yue Mingkong, who had been betrothed to Gu Changge since childhood, accompanied him all the way, and never abandoned him through life and death.
The legends about this Empress were equally extraordinary. She was the only one in all of Dao Prosperity True World worthy of the title 'Female Emperor'.
In her youth, she already had the ability to command armies and govern an immortal dynasty. Among the younger generation, apart from Gu Changge, the Lord of the Divine Kingdom, almost no one could suppress her.
However, Wu Qi had never seen the true face of that Empress. It was said she had been in seclusion all along, cultivating a profound and arcane technique.
Even the last time Gu Changge returned to Dao Prosperity True World, she had not appeared.
"Aside from her, who in all of Dao Prosperity True World could bear the title of Empress?"
Xiao Ruoyin's voice remained cool and calm, as if betraying no emotional ripples.
Wu Qi's eyes showed curiosity, and she couldn't help but whisper, "I just wonder, now that the Empress has emerged from seclusion, will His Majesty return to Dao Prosperity True World..."
These words made Xiao Ruoyin's slender hand tremble slightly. Although she quickly recovered, Wu Qi still noticed. She instantly felt a bit upset and regretful, wanting to slap herself for bringing up the very topic. Last time His Majesty had returned to Dao Prosperity True World, he hadn't even inquired about the affairs of the Fate Divine Hall, let alone visit in person.
Although Xiao Ruoyin appeared not to care on the surface, Wu Qi knew she must still feel gloomy and disappointed inside.
No matter what, however aloof and detached from worldly affairs she was, she was still a woman in the end.
And Gu Changge was the only man in her life.
To be ignored and abandoned like this, as if placed in a cold palace, anyone would find it unbearable.
"Lady, should we go offer congratulations? The Empress and His Majesty are deeply affectionate and devoted as a married couple. If she mentions you in His Majesty's presence, maybe His Majesty will remember..."
"His Majesty is said to be establishing great undertakings in the Vast Expanse outside Dao Prosperity True World, with no time for personal affairs of the heart," Wu Qi said quietly.
She looked at that cold, otherworldly face—so beautiful it filled even her with admiration and amazement. She truly couldn't understand how there could be a man in this world who wouldn't cherish such a peerless beauty.
Xiao Ruoyin understood Wu Qi's meaning, but she still waved her hand.
She wound a jade-like slender finger around a few strands of black hair falling over her forehead, gazed at the increasingly cold and quiet Fate Divine Hall, and said softly, "If he wants to see me, he will come no matter how busy he is. If he doesn't want to see me, no amount of persuasion will help."
"Your mind is pure and clear, untainted by idle thoughts and worldly concerns. If you devote yourself wholeheartedly to the Dao of Fate, it won't be long before your achievements far surpass mine. My heart is no longer pure; there's a flaw in my mental state, and I am destined not to go far in this life."
Wu Qi fell silent.
She understood Xiao Ruoyin's meaning. Many years ago, Xiao Ruoyin had already stopped at the threshold of Dao Realms.
The Fate Nothingness Physique was extremely special. The path it cultivated was unlike other physiques that required comprehending the Great Dao, condensing a Dao seed, and breaking through nirvana to enter the Dao. Perhaps with a single thought, by capturing one's own fate or the fate of all beings in the River of Fate, discerning the causes and effects, understanding the past and future, one could achieve sudden enlightenment on the spot and soar in cultivation.
Xiao Ruoyin's talent and comprehension in this path were unmatched. Although Wu Qi also possessed the Fate Nothingness Physique, she could still feel the gap between them.
But precisely because a flaw had appeared in Xiao Ruoyin's mental state, her cultivation had eventually halted at this point.
If her mental state were flawless, she might have undergone a complete transformation during that enlightenment, transforming from immortal to Dao and breaking through to the Dao Realms in one leap.
Unfortunately, in the end she still failed.
And once such an opportunity was lost, there would likely be no second chance in this life. This meant that Xiao Ruoyin would forever be stuck here, unable to advance even half a step further.
"Fate is capricious and unfathomable. This is my fate. You needn't feel sad for me..." Xiao Ruoyin shook her head calmly. "Perhaps one day, when I sever that flaw and unite my will, I will once again try to push open that door."
Wu Qi's heart trembled, and she couldn't help asking, "And if you fail..."
"Body dies, Dao vanishes." Xiao Ruoyin's eyes remained cold and tranquil, as if describing some small matter unrelated to herself.
Within the vast Divine Kingdom, star domains stretched out, surrounded by palace complexes.
The starlight was brilliant, the Milky Way splendid, cascading like waterfalls. It was solemn and majestic, like true divine palaces.
A vast, supreme pressure enveloped this place. Within the dense, surging immortal and divine radiance around, one could even see blurry, hazy, terrifying figures, like innate gods, guarding and protecting this place as ordered.
In the depths of the firmament, various ultimate Dao auras to the extreme flowed, wisps of divine light escaping and interweaving, as if some supreme gaze was watching everything.
The cultivators and beings who arrived here dared not show any disrespect. Beyond a certain area, they could not even fly, having to honestly walk up the heavenly jade steps.
Majestic, ancient coiled-dragon pillars stood on both sides of the heavenly jade steps, each pillar forged from heavy Primordial Chaos Metal of the Xuanhuang, shrouded in chaotic mist.
As cultivators and beings passed by, the coiling dragons within opened their ancient eyes, their icy gazes radiating authority and surveillance.
In the depths of the Divine Kingdom, the Epoch Mother Tree was towering and ancient, each leaf and branch supporting suns and moons, rumbling and quaking.
Beneath the tree, the Reincarnation Lake shimmered with silver light, countless ripples and points of light expanding, flowing with the mysteries of reincarnation, the profound truths of all worlds.
Upon the centermost crown of the tree stood a grand and towering palace complex.
And today, this place was exceptionally bustling, with streams of flowing light and divine rainbows streaking by.
Among the various cosmic islands, between the immortal mountains and divine peaks shrouded in clouds and mist, or among the cliff grottoes, mansions, and palaces, divine light split the sky as many figures, upon hearing the news, hurried over.
Saintess Palace, Heavenly Fox Pure Land, Longevity Wang Clan, Human Ancestor Hall... Nearly all powers and clans in Dao Prosperity True World had sent representatives.
The Gu Family Ancestor, Wang Xiaoniu's master Wine Sword Immortal, Shen Xian'er's master Ming, and many other ancient existences from the Mythical Era—all were renowned figures in Dao Prosperity True World, but today they all had to set aside their affairs and rush over.
Although Yue Mingkong was a junior, she was Gu Changge's lawfully wedded wife and the current Empress of the Divine Kingdom. No one dared to show the slightest disrespect.
"The aura of Dao Realms, and so ethereal at that..."
Nearly all the guests, upon sensing the aura of that tall, dignified figure calmly seated behind the curtain deep within the hall, couldn't help but feel their hearts quake, full of shock.
No one had expected that the first in the current generation to break through to the Dao Realms would actually be the Empress, Yue Mingkong.
She had clearly only gone into seclusion once, yet her cultivation had advanced by leaps and bounds to such an extent, as if overturning heaven and earth.
"This aura... seeming both real and illusory, seems to have been recorded in ancient texts, as if related to some ancient era..." The Gu Family Ancestor's face showed a hint of emotion, uncertain whether this was a stroke of fortune Yue Mingkong had attained, or an opportunity that Gu Changge had sought for her.