In Jia Nan Academy, Qian Lie and Bai Mu, two Elders, sat at the bottom of the Heavenly Burning Training Qi Tower, eyes closed, meditating.
Since the mysterious visitor last time, they had been guarding this place for a month, and nothing unusual had happened during that period.
After Amon's reminder, Jia Nan Academy organized a collective training for all Inner Courtyard students. But dragging it on like this wasn't a solution forever, and now, the students who went out for training were gradually returning.
Su Qian came to the bottom of the tower, looked at the two Elders, Qian and Bai, and asked, "Sirs, has anything special happened?"
Qian Lie shook his head, "Everything is normal."
Bai Mu frowned and asked, "Is there really such a strong person?"
"How dare I joke about such a major matter?" Su Qian responded helplessly.
"Maybe it's some old prankster with a bad sense of humor, playing a trick on us." Qian Lie's expression was not very good.
Beneath the Sealed Artifact, in the nascent fiery red Magma World, the Flame Lizardman clan continued to battle ceaselessly in this underground World, as always.
Only two bone-white Flame Lizardman leaders occasionally looked downwards with worried expressions.
"What exactly did the Grave Keepers go to do? Is he returning to continue guarding the tomb?"
"I hope he doesn't cause any trouble..."
In the silent Void, a bright ball of light hung in mid-air, and an ancient gate stood quietly. Its ancient and Vicissitudes aura seemed to silently recount the years it had experienced.
The gate connected to the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave. Inside the cave, a hazy gray mist enveloped everything, and wonderful, terrifying, layered gibberish constantly echoed, making one fall into madness upon hearing it.
A huge, shadowy figure seemed to have something slimy wriggling. As light and shadow flickered, translucent small worms, swimming in the Void, began to gather towards one place.
The phantom of an ancient clock appeared, and the sound of "Ding, Dong, Ding" rang out. This bell sound seemed to come across history and time, echoing between heaven and earth.
The mist gradually dissipated, and the huge figure also disappeared. On the massive Heavenly Flame Square, a young man wearing a pointed soft hat, a classical long robe, and a monocle over his right eye slowly opened his eyes.
An indescribable majesty emanated from his eyes. Every movement made the space tremble, and every breath caused the energy between heaven and earth to follow.
This was the power of a God, a Supreme Being, an existence that transcended heaven and earth!
He raised his right hand, adjusted the crystal-carved monocle, and a smile curved his lips:
"Finally a Dou Emperor... Hmm, this feeling isn't bad... From a life-level perspective, it's equivalent to a Sequence 3 Saint, but in different Worlds, the Expressiveness (expressive power) is also very different."
Amon looked up at the sky and murmured softly, "The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave is quite sturdy; it concealed the commotion of my ascension to Emperor and prevented it from spreading out."
His gaze pierced through the Void, as if he saw that boundless World, and the chilling evil aura that covered half the area of that vast World.
A faint call from the netherworld also echoed in his ears.
This was the Great Thousand World's summons to him.
This summons was very faint for those who had just entered the Dou Emperor realm, but it would become increasingly clear as their strength grew. Xiao Yan only perceived the existence of the Great Thousand World decades after breaking through to Dou Emperor.
However, Amon's accumulation was deep enough that as soon as he entered the Dou Emperor realm, he had already progressed a considerable distance within this stage. Coupled with his 'Door' characteristic, he could now pinpoint the location of the Great Thousand World.
"Great Thousand World..." Amon extended his right hand, starlight swirling on his palm.
His hand extended slowly, not quickly. There didn't seem to be any strong energy fluctuations on his hand, yet it was with such an unremarkable gesture that his palm pierced through the Ancient Emperor Cave, tearing open the Plane Wall of the Dou Qi Plane.
Outside was an infinite Void, a Void even more desolate than the void between various spaces in the Dou Qi Plane. However, in Amon's view, it was not desolate enough, not annihilated enough; at least the rules of time and space still existed.
He had witnessed the true Great Void between different Universes; that was where nothing existed, like the ultimate return to nothingness, the end of the World.
A peculiar aura entered through the hole he had torn open from the outside. This was the source Imperial Qi that Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi had yearned for.
A terrifying suction force came from Amon's palm, and the source Imperial Qi gathered in large quantities. After collecting enough source Imperial Qi, his monocle glowed with pure light, and layers of 'doors' emerged from the light.
These 'doors' attached themselves one by one to the massive Sealed Artifact that enveloped the entire Dou Qi Plane, repairing the hole he had just torn open.
This Sealed Artifact was left by an ancient Dou Emperor, sealing the entire Dou Qi Plane and protecting it from being discovered by the Extraterritorial Evil Clan.
Amon was not yet ready to face the Evil Clan, so this Sealed Artifact still had its necessity.
He looked at the stream of source energy in his hand and smiled.
"The original Pill Emperor is gone, so I'll refine another one... Hun Tiandi, he still has some use."
...
At the same time Amon's main body ascended to Emperor, the power of Heaven and Earth rules also surged from his clones.
However, his situation was special; his clones were essentially him, just in different places. So the clones did not directly increase their cultivation, but they gained the status of a Dou Emperor.
Every clone's control over the energy of Heaven and Earth far surpassed that of Nine-Star Dou Saint like Gu Yuan and Hun Tiandi.
Even the weakest clone, under the blessing of this status, could display combat power comparable to a Emperor Grade Young Pill!
Xiao Zhan, who was deeply connected to Amon and had used his power for a long time, noticed the difference immediately.
For a moment, it was as if his vision became infinitely vast, capable of seeing through heaven and earth with a single glance.
In that instant, he felt omnipotent, even confident enough to suppress Hun Tiandi!
However, this feeling was fleeting, and he couldn't help but ask:
"Amon, what just happened? This has something to do with you, right?"
The white Amon within his body was silent for a long time before slowly saying, "I evolved, a special evolution."
The white Amon didn't explain too much to Xiao Zhan, giving a brief explanation before falling silent.
Xiao Zhan knew that when he acted like this, he didn't want to say more. Amon hid many secrets, like a bottomless abyss, which was one of the reasons he always harbored a hint of doubt deep down.
However, he had no ability, nor did he dare, to probe these secrets. Even if he acted like an ostrich, it was better to maintain the status quo before he had the ability to face the problems behind it.
He flickered and disappeared from his spot, reappearing on the square outside the main hall, standing atop a towering pillar.
On the edge of the pillar's summit, a figure in black robes stood, with silver-white flame-like hair draped over his shoulders, looking down below, lost in thought. A sense of loneliness and desolation washed over him.
Xiao Zhan looked at his youngest son, his gaze flickering slightly. He walked to Xiao Yan's side and said, "Xiao Yan, are you feeling better?"
Yan'er reined in his emotions and forced a smile, "I've thought it through, Father."
Xiao Zhan nodded, "It's good that you've adjusted your mindset. Then it's time for us to proceed to the next step. Hun Tiandi is probably getting impatient."
The ancient jade obtained from the joint operation of the two clans had been handed over to Hun Tiandi. However, the Yao Clan's piece was taken by Xiao Zhan himself without going through the Soul Clan, so it had always remained in the Xiao Clan's hands.
Hun Tiandi... Hearing this name, Xiao Yan's expression also became solemn. Unless he could obtain a ninth grade golden pill or refine the Void Swallowing Flame, it would be impossible for him to reach a level capable of rivaling him in a short period.
"Yan'er, you must be prepared to be an enemy of the Gu Clan." Xiao Zhan reminded him, "Although we are mostly dealing with the Lei Clan and the Yan Clan, in a chaotic battlefield, things are not so clearly defined."
"I understand." Xiao Yan's expression didn't show much fluctuation.
The person he cared about most within the Gu Clan was no longer there. He felt some gratitude towards Gu Yuan and Ling Ying, but this gratitude was not enough to shake his stance.
As for the others, they were merely acquaintances. If he encountered them, he wouldn't hesitate to act.
Xiao Yan stood up and said, "I need to go back to Starfall Pavilion. Now that my teacher has also joined the three-clan allied army, I'll go persuade him to withdraw."
He seemed to remember something else and continued, "After that, I have a few important people I want to introduce to you, Father."
"Important people?" Xiao Zhan raised an eyebrow and said with a chuckle, "Alright, you're even keeping me in suspense now."
"Hehe, I'll definitely give you a surprise."
Xiao Zhan hesitated for a moment and said, "Speaking of important people, I actually have someone I want to introduce to you as well. Hmm... Let's talk about it next time."
Xiao Yan didn't pay much attention, waved his hand, and said, "Then I'll be going first."
With that, he flew towards the spatial exit.
After he left, the smile on Xiao Zhan's face faded, and he said calmly, "Xiao Yu."
Xiao Yu, dressed in black robes, appeared behind him: "Here."
"It's almost time for the final step. Go and clear out all the scouts around." Xiao Zhan instructed.
"Yes."
...
In the Soul Realm, within a massive palace, black mist filled every corner.
Chains extended from the walls, intertwining to form a formation.
At the center of the formation, four heavy coffins were placed. Around the coffins, the black mist was exceptionally dense, as if even light was swallowed.
Hun Tiandi formed hand seals, and a strange fluctuation spread out from him.
The black mist around the coffins slowly receded, and with creaking and groaning sounds, the coffin lids gradually moved aside.
An arm rested on the edge of a coffin, and a gaunt figure slowly rose from within.
After him, three other figures emerged from the other three coffins. Their movements were stiff and slow, as if their joints had rusted from not moving for a long time.
All four figures exuded a dense aura of death, as if they were not living people, but four malevolent spirits.