Lu’s brows knitted slightly as he gazed westward. Just moments ago, a peculiar energy surge had flickered from that direction—brief, vanishing as swiftly as it appeared, extinguished amid the heavens and earth.

  His soul, now vastly strengthened, far surpassed its prior sensitivity. Even that fleeting pulse registered clearly: an odd fluctuation from the west.

  Eyes narrowed, a realization dawned.

  “The west…”

  Lips curved upward. Leaning back in the wheelchair, fingers tapped the armrest.

  As expected, the fusion of realms had finally stirred external troubles.

  He’d anticipated this, unconcerned, unhurried.

  Intrigued, even.

  ...

  Imperial Capital, Purple Gold Palace.

  Luo Mingsang glided in resplendent palace robes. An Xiang Family Army soldier appeared behind her, bowing.

  “Any movement from the Black Dragon Cult?”

  She stared northwest—toward Wolong Ridge.

  The guard shook his head.

  “Since White Jade Capital’s auction and Wolong news, the restless Black Dragon Cult fell silent. Even their subordinate gangs grew docile.”

  “Docile?”

  Luo pondered, then smiled helplessly. “Good. Saves bloodshed and trouble.”

  “Still, watch them. Their ambitions run deep.”

  A pause. “Has the King comprehended any Dao intent at Wolong?”

  The soldier faltered.

  He glanced cautiously. All Xiang troops knew: an invisible rift now lay between Overlord and Luo Mingsang. Mention either—tread carefully.

  After careful wording: “The King… remains in contemplation.”

  Luo’s lashes trembled; her expression dimmed.

  “Understood. Dismissed. Monitor the Cult—any anomaly, signal immediately.”

  She managed the capital adeptly for Overlord.

  Sky bright, clouds idle—serene.

  Yet beneath, vast undercurrents churned.

  A storm, once unleashed, would sweep thousands.

  Soon after the soldier left, hooves thundered outside.

  Another Xiang trooper.

  Luo’s orderly rule earned their loyalty. Overlord had commanded obedience to her.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  Absolute dispatch authority.

  Seeing him, her eyes lit.

  “Found it?!”

  “Subordinate… mission accomplished.”

  Dust-caked, soil-stained.

  “Six hundred li from the capital, a mountain range—spirit stones. Personally verified: a minor vein!”

  Fist clasped, thrilled.

  A vein—how could he not be?

  White Jade’s auction rippled worldwide: spirit stones, future currency—analyzed by all powers.

  Had Xiliang or Great Xuan proposed unification: resistance, doubt.

  White Jade? Unquestioned.

  Luo dispatched seekers immediately.

  Targeted: post-transformation blessed lands, new terrains.

  Harvest now.

  “Estimate: ten thousand stones… but durable—mining difficult.”

  “Beasts around, qi-nurtured—ferocious, hard.”

  Luo resolute: “Send more hands. Control veins—future voice…”

  Not just Xiliang—clans, Great Xuan sought.

  Auction’s aim: launch stones.

  Qi within accelerated practice.

  Vein mastery: faster cultivators, Body Storages galore—immense.

  ...

  Time trickled.

  Post-Mo Tianyu: no new intents.

  Comprehension’s difficulty dawned.

  Nine Prisons: no slot news.

  But entrants spread another.

  First Prison progress rankings.

  Real-time transmitted.

  Outside Wolong aware.

  “Kong Nanfei: 180.”

  “Nie Changqing: 180.”

  “Jing Yue: 170.”

  ...

  Top three.

  Progress: distance in First—gates varied.

  Strength needed.

  Clans treated as talent gauge.

  Competitive eyes on list.

  ...

  Overlord mind steeped in stele.

  Mystic waves; comprehension urge.

  But unrest scattered focus.

  Sweat beaded.

  Du Longyang: fifth Brave Spear—rivaled Ye, slight loss, third.

  Empress soon: fifth—behind Ye, above Tianxu.

  Lu unsurprised: all fifth, talents matched.

  Mo’s fourth: sole surprise.

  Diviner luck.

  Overlord, Liu persisted.

  Sweat; unknown sequence.

  Higher better.

  No laggard.

  Three days post-Empress...

  Liu: sixth Cold Fire.

  ...

  Stele: Overlord alone.

  Pressure crushed.

  Once prodigy, glorious.

  Now last.

  Failure.

  Fists clenched; stele glare.

  Unbelievable!

  Du, Empress opened—brow raise.

  Two energies: black demonic, gold dynasty qi.

  Clashed, unmerged—cause confusion.

  “Dual powers?”

  Du frown.

  “Talent strong, but heart-bound, powers tangle—lost.”

  Empress nod: “Choose. Greed chokes.”

  Familiar dynasty aura—emperor’s.

  She too ruled millions.

  Purer.

  Du agreed: obvious at their level.

  Liu squint.

  Bottleneck!

  Good!

  Flicker; tempted sabotage.

  Dared not—public, low means risk White Jade wrath.

  Crowded; no move.

  Abandoned; consolidated.

  Intent boosted combat, fire mastery.

  Sixth—future more.

  No discouragement.

  Overlord entranced.

  Time passed.

  World stormed.

  Wolong one; veins another.

  Xiliang vein news spread.

  Vital.

  Soon Great Xuan: Tail Ridge vein.

  Surge.

  Clans abandoned Wolong—hunt veins.

  Discovered, claimed.

  Undercurrents.

  Clans standoff veins.

  Wars: blood-soaked earth.

  ...

  Vast ocean.

  Lights cleaved sea.

  Post-Ye/Tianxu message.

  Tianyuan Person List prodigies—half mobilized.

  List: Golden Core rank; weakest fifth turn.

  Feng Yilou lone boat.

  Pride: mostly solo.

  Purple robes hunt.

  Seventh turn, List ninth—apocalypse breakthrough eighth.

  Rank rise pending.

  No update: summons to unknown world.

  “Secrets?”

  Lips up, immortal air.

  Glanced: lone boats.

  Monsters gathered.

  Days trek.

  Tianyuan geniuses: Dongyang coast.

  Governor spotted—bitter.

  Whale gone; new unknowns.

  Sea origin?

  No malice: Tianyuan Ancients, mentioned Lu.

  Fusion secret.

  Ideology fed: believed or indifferent.

  Governor post-Lu: eased.

  To Wolong—tense again.

  Provoke?

  White Jade: no waves.

  Blind trust.

  No block—powerless.

  Watched depart; exhaled.

  World lively.

  ...

  Beiluo island.

  Lu opened; island qi waves.

  “Practice, refine—shorten Tianyuan qi conversion...”

  Lips up; expectant.

  Ten months base.

  Heaven Chess Momentum shortened.

  Leaned Thousand Blades.

  Gaze vacant; Little Yinglong lake.

  Sensed; wary—no bully?

  Overthought.

  Lu pondered new Momentum.

  Board float; chin hand, box pinch.

  “New game...”

  Smile.

  “Heaven Chess: Yin-Yang Game.”

  Eyes brilliant; head up opposite.

  Boom!

  Demonic qi poured eyes nose.

  Before: converged figure.

  Vast.

  Black hair shirt; eyes pure black.

  Demon Lord Lu!

  “Please.”

  Light laugh.

  Demon Lord mirrored.

  Floated rail outside; board opposite.

  Hand black piece.

  Clack.

  Fall; board black-white flow.

  Yin-yang.