Chapter 238: Ruling the World (7) — Heavenly Palace

"Fellow Daoist truly possesses extraordinary Divine Sense," an ancient voice rang out from the void, carrying a hint of praise. "My meager skills couldn't hide from your discerning eyes. Hehe."

As his voice faded, an old man with entirely white hair and a white beard, clad in a simple white robe, stepped slowly from the darkness.

He cupped his hands with an easy, unhurried smile. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Bai Xuanyi. People once called me the White-Robed Old Daoist, and others knew me as True Monarch Xuansu. But those are just old titles. After so many years, how many still remember this old man?"

Jiuyou calmly studied the old man before him. His mind rapidly searched through the ancient names in Ganzhou's history until he suddenly remembered—wasn't this White-Robed Old Daoist that renowned figure from two thousand years ago?

No one had heard of him since. Jiuyou had assumed he was lost to history, yet unexpectedly, he was still alive.

Those who lived long enough never died so easily.

"Congratulations on your successful breakthrough to Deity Transformation, Fellow Daoist, and welcome to our ranks," Bai Xuanyi said, his tone sincere and unhurried. "From now on, we shall associate as equals. Judging by your aura, you are also a hero of the Righteous Path. I came here today simply to make a friend. In the future, if either of us happens upon some rare heavenly treasure, we can mutually exchange what we have for what we lack. What do you say?"

Jiuyou knew his goal had been achieved. Using this man as a springboard to gradually infiltrate the circle of Deity Transformation Cultivators would make it far easier to gather intelligence and hunt for rare treasures.

He wasn't worried about being kept out of their core. Deity Transformation Cultivators were exceedingly rare—they could be counted on one hand. Their gatherings were primarily meant to mutually exchange what one has for what one lacks, so pulling him into their ranks was only a matter of time.

"So it is True Monarch Xuansu. I have looked up to you for a long time," Jiuyou said, cupping his hands in return. "I am Jiuyou. I didn't expect the True Monarch to have taken this step as well. Truly extraordinary. Since you have invited me, I have no reason to refuse. However, I still have some unsettled grudges. If I do not resolve them, my mind will not be at peace. I hope you will not try to stop me."

Bai Xuanyi nodded slightly. "These scoundrels of the demonic path are truly detestable. And that old dog Yuan Huang has been acting more and more out of line."

He paused.

"Right, I've heard you have some ties to the Northern Plains as well," Bai Xuanyi continued. "Back when I wandered the Northern Plains, I befriended one of their Holy Masters. After he passed away, I stopped paying attention to their affairs. It was only recently I learned that Yuan Huang had personally stepped in to interfere with the disputes of the cultivation world. He went too far this time."

His tone turned a bit more solemn.

"Fellow Daoist Jiuyou, you only recently reached Deity Transformation, so you likely aren't aware of certain agreements between existences at our level. Deity Transformation Cultivators are not permitted to casually intervene in the conflicts of the cultivation world. This is a rule passed down for tens of thousands of years. Since you are newly ascended, it's normal that you didn't know, and the other old monsters won't hold it against you. After all, it's only human nature—it is always best to settle personal grudges as early as possible."

He paused for a moment before continuing.

"But as a veteran Deity Transformation Cultivator, Yuan Huang knowingly broke the rules and crossed the line, which naturally provoked the displeasure of the others. Since then, he hasn't dared to interfere in the affairs of the Northern Plains and Dayong. I imagine he knows he was in the wrong and won't risk repeating his mistake."

Jiuyou listened with an unchanged expression, though he silently weighed the gravity of those words. When Bai Xuanyi mentioned the rules of the Deity Transformation Stage, his tone was perfectly measured—it sounded like a casual remark, yet felt like a deliberate warning.

He had no intention of asking further, nor was he in any rush to declare his stance.

Seeing his reaction, Bai Xuanyi didn't press the issue. With a faint smile, he materialized a Communication Jade Plaque from thin air and handed it over.

"I have said all I came to say, so I will not linger," he said. "But you must tread carefully—after all, a grudge has already been forged between you and Yuan Huang. Still, since we are all Deity Transformation Cultivators, it's best to turn daggers and lances into jade and silk whenever possible. Once you've made up your mind, you can come find me at the Heavenly Palace. It serves as the permanent gathering place for those of us at this stage."

He paused, then added, "This jade plaque contains the imprint of my chief disciple, Xiao Yi. Should you decide to accept, you can use this item to contact him. He will guide you up to the Heavenly Palace."

His smile faded. Having seemingly said everything he needed to, he slowly delivered his final words.

"The mortal world is mired in dust, and the path to immortality is boundless. The Heavenly Palace sits on high, as different as heaven and earth. Fellow Daoist, we shall meet again in the Heavenly Palace."

With those parting words, he lightly flicked his white sleeves. His entire figure transformed into a gentle breeze and dissipated without a trace, leaving only the white jade plaque hovering where he had stood.

Jiuyou brought two fingers together, summoning the jade plaque into his grasp. He inspected it briefly before stowing it in his bag.

"What a claim—as different as heaven and earth," he mused. "This Heavenly Palace is rather intriguing. Once I finish my business here, I'll definitely have to go see what mysteries it holds."

He glanced down at the headquarters of the Blood Abyss Sect, which had already been reduced to a sea of fire. With a cold gleam in his eyes, his figure plummeted, sinking into the earth.

Deep underground lay a massive chamber where the spiritual energy was exceedingly thin. Its walls were built from solid stone, making it look like a cage designed specifically for cultivators. Here, Jiuyou found an unexpected old acquaintance—Ying Tong.

Ying Tong had clearly been imprisoned for a long time. His Nascent Soul was sealed, and his meridians were completely blocked. He had been refined alive into a human-shaped medicinal vessel. Trapped in this wretched place, he had long since lost his sanity.

At first, Ying Tong assumed Xue Huomo had arrived and began hurling venomous curses. But when he recognized Jiuyou, he blanked for a moment. A twisted smile crept onto his face. It was as if a knot in his heart that had plagued him for years was finally untied, and his mind completely shattered into madness. Jiuyou didn't waste any words. He struck out and finished him off, finally putting an end to the old grudge of that long-ago pursuit.

With that done, Jiuyou's figure flickered. He transformed into a streak of golden light and vanished.

After annihilating the Blood Abyss Sect, Jiuyou made a trip back to the Northern Plains. Not long after, a decree was passed down across the region: any remnants of the Blood Abyss Sect were to be executed on sight, without delay.

By eradicating one of the Nine Great Sects of Ganzhou with the swiftness of a thunderbolt, the world finally saw the true methods of this new Deity Transformation Cultivator.

With a Deity Transformation Cultivator now backing the Northern Plains, no one dared to underestimate the region ever again.

All the covetous forces that had been eyeing the territory quietly withdrew their gazes the moment that streak of golden escape light tore across the sky. Absolutely no one wanted to become his next target.

Across the borders of the Northern Plains, the number of patrolling cultivators dwindled significantly, yet no one felt anything was amiss. The Northern Plains didn't need more soldiers; they just needed a reason for others not to casually mobilize armies against them.

Afterward, Jiuyou went into seclusion for a period of time, primarily to master the power of the Deity Transformation Stage. The gap between the Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation realms was like a heavenly chasm. He needed time to adapt to his reborn body and familiarize himself with the ebb and flow of every ounce of his new power.

Beyond that, he devoted a considerable amount of energy to studying the manual on formations left behind by Xue Huomo.

When it came to the Dao of Formations, he was essentially fumbling in the dark, and he couldn't rely on others forever. He had been eyeing the incredibly powerful arrays recorded in that manual for a long time now. But his ultimate motivation for delving into this field was the ancient divine restriction hidden within the Daoyang Sect.

It was a path he had to walk eventually, and he had no intention of avoiding it.

Upon emerging from seclusion, Jiuyou picked a desolate mountain peak at random and tried pushing the Jinli Sword Formation to its absolute limit. All eighty-one Ember Moon Swords shot out simultaneously. The overwhelming sword light blotted out the sky, painting it in a brilliant golden hue.

With a single slash, the mountain peak silently ceased to exist, and hundreds of miles of land behind it were instantly razed to the ground. The residual sword qi plowed bottomless ravines into the earth, which would take ages for the wind and sand to finally bury.

Jiuyou recalled his swords and stood still. As he gazed out over the impossibly flattened earth, his expression remained perfectly calm.