Living in the deep palace

All was silent atop the walls of Zhenmo City.

Lu Cheng, the newly promoted Divine Lord, was still immersed in the profound realm of "unity of immortals and demons, balance of yin and yang." He could feel that his path of cultivation had become broader and more solid than ever before under the guidance of the Dao Ancestor.

Su Chen stood quietly to his side, his eyes closed, contemplating the perfect state of being where a century-old knot had been untied in a single day.

"Great Luo Immortal Perfection".

"Truly powerful!"

Su Chen's consciousness sank into his own inner universe.

Rumble——!
At this moment, the vast and boundless inner universe, comparable to a real world, underwent a dramatic and earth-shattering change!

On the central axis of the Jianmu tree rooted in the center of the universe, the tenth dark branch representing "Wu" solidified completely.

【Life】, 【Death】, 【Emptiness】, 【Grave】, 【Spirit】, 【Profit】, 【Armor】, 【Power】, 【Speed】, 【Desolation】!
At this moment, the ten fundamental laws resounded in unison, intertwining and connecting one after another, forming a flawless and all-encompassing "Great Dao Closed Loop"!
This is the ultimate form of "Da Luo"!

This is the end of the "Fourth Realm"!

With a thought from Su Chen, countless stars within his vast inner universe began to collapse, recombine, and evolve!
The original "star field" suddenly expanded at this moment, and its boundaries instantly exceeded the limits that Su Chen could perceive.

The stars transformed into a galaxy, and the galaxy converged into a sea of ​​stars!

That was a qualitative transformation!
A true "cosmos" was born within his body!

"The Fifth Realm, Eternity..."

A trace of enlightenment flowed through Su Chen's Dao heart.

Although his Dao Fruit is still "Great Luo Golden Immortal Dao Fruit", which belongs to the fourth realm of Great Perfection.

But his inner universe, the essence of his power, has already... stepped into the threshold of the "Fifth Realm"!

He is already a special "quasi-fifth realm"!
However, just as his aura of "perfection" and the nascent form of the "sea of ​​stars" were completely stabilized—

"Om-!"

Su Chen suddenly opened his eyes.

He felt it.

A vast, boundless, yet incredibly familiar will was... "rejecting" him!

This will does not come from any enemy.

It comes from the earth beneath our feet, from the starry sky above, from every corner of this universe.

It's "The Vast Starry Sky"!
This is the "homeland" that he saved and rebuilt with his own hands!
"Rejection..."

"here we go again!"

"Damn it, I'm only at the fourth realm, yet they're treating me like I'm at the fifth realm, so they're rejecting me. Sigh."

"The nascent consciousness of this world is urging me to leave this sea of ​​stars as soon as possible. Of course, if I don't leave, the consciousness of this sea of ​​stars can't really do anything to me."

"However, it will eventually damage the Star Sea."

Su Chen smiled bitterly.

He got it.

This "sky and starry sea," after being castrated by the "Heavenly Calamity" and experiencing five million years of death and silence, was reshaped by him using the law of "life," but the "volume" and "foundation" of its "Great Dao" had already been damaged.

It's like a patient recovering from a serious illness.

As for Su Chen, this "Great Luo Golden Immortal at Perfection," this "quasi-Fifth Realm" whose body has already nurtured a "sea of ​​stars"...

It's too "heavy" for this "fragile" universe.

Just like the star realm left behind after the fall of a true immortal, it is impossible to nurture or bear the arrival of another true immortal.

And now.

The same situation applies.

The star sea where the fifth realm fell, this vast star sea of ​​the Chen Saint, was originally like a tattered cloth, and was made even more dilapidated by the presence of the Corpse Venerable inside, the Nether Lotus outside, and this monstrous genius.

Now, even he, a quasi-fifth realm cultivator, might not be able to bear it.

"One world cannot contain two 'seas'."

Su Chen's "Dharma Body" is still in Zhenmo City. However, his "True Body" located on the "Taiyi Dao Platform" has already felt the increasingly strong "repulsive force".

The entire "Jianmu·Azure Sky·Guardian Dao Array" was buzzing, not because of external enemies, but because of the "Dao Ancestor" inside... who was about to "break through" the "laws" of this world!
If he insists on staying, it's not impossible.

But the result would be that this "Sky Star Sea," which had only been revived for a hundred years, would once again... collapse and return to deathly silence because it could not withstand the power of his "Fifth Realm."

"So... this is my true 'calamity'."

Su Chen originally thought that his tribulation was [Wu].

Little did he know that the moment he completed the [芜] character would be the moment he... had to "leave".

He no longer belongs to the "pond" of this "fourth realm".

"Daozu?"

Lu Cheng was also jolted awake from the joy of the breakthrough, and he looked up in horror.

He "saw" it!
The vast sky above the starry sea trembled slightly because of Su Chen's presence! As if in fear!
"Dao Ancestor...you..." Lu Cheng's voice trembled, "You...you are..."

"I have to go now."

Su Chen's voice was calm and indifferent.

"This world can no longer contain me."

"What?!" Lu Cheng was shocked. "Dao Ancestor! Where are you...where are you going?! If you leave, what will happen to the evil Dao Ancestor from beyond the heavens—the Holy Lord of the Underworld Lotus..."

"That's exactly why I went there."

Su Chen's gaze pierced through the walls of the Demon Suppression City and through the chaotic fault lines of the starry sky, looking towards that place he had never set foot in, yet was destined to be connected to... the "Ruins Domain"!
He slowly raised his hand and pointed a finger at Lu Cheng's brow.

"Om-"

A Daoist imprint containing the concepts of "yin-yang balance" and "unity of immortals and demons" was deeply imprinted in Lu Cheng's sea of ​​consciousness.

"Lu Cheng."

"The disciple is here!"

“You are the ‘balance’ of my new Immortal Path. You are neither a ‘purifier’ nor a ‘caretaker’. You are a ‘night watchman’.”

"From this day forward, you will be the 'Shadow Walker' of my 'Taiyi Dao Palace,' walking the boundary between light and darkness. Oversee the starry sea, balance the immortals and demons, and enforce the 'Laws of Immortals and Mortals.'"

"This Demon-Suppressing City, this inner demon rift, is now in your hands. Remember, prevention is worse than cure, and transformation is worse than killing."

"Your path lies not in 'killing,' but in 'balance.'"

Lu Cheng sensed the profound and unparalleled method in his sea of ​​consciousness, which was the "Great Dao of Balance" personally passed down by the Dao Ancestor!
He kowtowed deeply, tears welling in his eyes: "Disciple... Lu Cheng! I receive the decree! I respectfully bid farewell to the Dao Ancestor!!"

Su Chen nodded.

His "avatar" slowly dissipated like wisps of smoke.

"If fate allows, Taiyi Daotai...see you again."

The sound faded away, and so did the person.

Only Lu Cheng remained, standing atop the city wall, feeling the vast, newly born yet balanced power within his body, gazing at the center of the universe, remaining there for a long time without rising.

……

……

At the center of the universe, stands the Taiyi Dao Platform.

At this moment, the central axis of the Jianmu tree, which spans heaven and earth, burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant divine light.

Blue, gold, black, gray...

The divine light transformed from the Ten Fundamental Principles illuminated the entire universe like a rainbow.

"Om-!"

Su Chen's true form slowly opened his pair of chaotic Dao eyes, one blue on the left and one gold on the right.

The Great Golden Immortal has achieved perfection!
Quasi-Fifth Realm, Eternity!
He is back.

"This pressure..."

"It is...it is my lord!!"

"My lord... he... he's broken through?!"

Below the platform, the twenty fourth-realm Venerables guarding this place, including the East Sea Dragon Emperor and the Myriad Jun Heavenly Venerable, were all horrified the moment Su Chen opened his eyes!
They felt it! That terrifying power, as vast, harmonious, unfathomable, and unbearable as the universe itself!
This oppressive force even surpassed the sense of pressure they remembered from the "Fifth Realm" when the "Lord of the Underworld" descended in his incarnation!
"thump!"

Twenty powerful figures of the fourth realm were not even qualified to stand before this "perfect" Dao power. They all knelt on one knee and lowered their proud heads!
"We...pay homage to our Lord!"

"Congratulations, my lord! The Great Dao has been perfected! May you be immortal forever!!"

Their voices were filled with extreme "fanaticism" and "awe"!
Immediately afterwards, a streak of light shot out from the depths of the starry sea and landed below the Dao Platform. It was Gu Chenzi, who had just gained some enlightenment and leaped from the "Middle Realm of Profound Jade Immortal" to the "Perfect Realm of Profound Jade Immortal"!
He also sensed this "perfect" power and rushed back without stopping!

"This unworthy disciple, Gu Chenzi, pays homage to the Dao Ancestor!!" Gu Chenzi prostrated himself completely, "Congratulations, Dao Ancestor! You have achieved perfect enlightenment!"

"Everyone, get up."

Su Chen's voice was no longer cold or authoritative, but filled with a "calm" that "encompasses all things".

"I am about to leave."

Upon hearing this, Gu Chenzi and the twenty Venerables all looked up in shock!

"My lord?! Why?!"

“It is this world.” Su Chen slowly stood up. With just a simple “standing” action, the entire Great Dao of the “Sky Star Sea” groaned under the weight of the burden.

That "repulsive force" had become extremely strong!

"This world... can no longer contain me."

Su Chen said calmly, "If I force this world to stay, it will surely collapse because of me."

"This..." Gu Chenzi and the twenty Venerables instantly understood.

Yes.

The Dao Ancestor has already surpassed the "limits" of this world!
The fifth realm!
Even if he's not at the fifth realm yet, he's almost there!
As expected of Su Zun!
It fought its way out of the Dream Star Sea and swept across the entire Sky Star Sea. Even the fifth realm beings like the Underworld Lotus and the Corpse Lord could not stop its growth.

Now, it has finally transformed into a true dragon.

Among them, Tianyi Ancient Venerable was the most shocked. He knew better than anyone that even in the truly vast world, there were very few geniuses of Su Chen's level in the Ruins Domain and the Heavenly Domain.

"My lord! If you leave, what will become of the 'Lord of the Underworld Lotus' in the 'Ruins Domain'..." The Dragon Emperor of the East Sea was filled with worry.

This is their biggest threat!

"I am going there to 'settle accounts' with him."

Su Chen's voice was calm, yet it contained the supreme killing intent of the "Fifth Realm"!
"But before I depart, I will leave you... my final protection."

Su Chen slowly ascended into the air.

He stood at the top of that "Jianmu axis"!

"Tianyi! Gu Chenzi! You are both experts in formations, see this clearly!"

"I will use my 'Perfect' Dao to rebuild this 'Guardian Dao Array'!"

"boom--!"

Su Chen's supreme power of "Perfected Great Luo Golden Immortal" erupted without reservation at this moment!
His "Star Sea" power, which was at the "quasi-fifth realm," descended with a thunderous roar!

"Build a foundation with wood!"

"[Life] is the beginning!"

"[Order] is the law!"

"[Waste]...This is the end!!"

Su Chen raised his hands high, and the newly perfected "Ten Fundamental Laws" transformed into ten Great Dao chains that traversed the universe!

"Boom--!"

The "Guardian Dao Array" that originally covered the entire "Sky Star Sea" was forcibly "torn apart" by Su Chen at this moment!
then……

"Reforge!!"

Su Chen forcefully implanted the Law of "[Waste]", the concepts of "end" and "negation", into the core of the formation!

"Om-!"

An invisible net, billions of times larger than before, containing the concepts of "life," "death," "order," and "end," has been unfurled once more!

This time, it is no longer "transparent".

It is "chaotic"!

It seemed as if it had erased the entire "sky and starry sea" from this "space-time"...

"This formation..."

Tianyi Ancient Venerable stared in horror at Su Chen's work, "This formation... actually contains two completely opposite Daos: 'life' and 'death,' 'order' and 'chaos'?!"

"No," Su Chen said calmly.

"This formation is called the 'Jianmu Taiyi Life and Death Dao Formation'."

"It is no longer a 'guardian'."

“It is… ‘balance’.”

Su Chen's gaze was cold and confident.

"This formation was forged by the power of my 'Great Luo Perfection' Dao, and its source is the Ten Great Principles of my 'Jianmu'!"

"Below the Fifth Realm True Body (Eternity), it is unbreakable!"

"Even if the true form of the 'Fifth Realm' 'Lord of the Underworld Lotus' were to descend... this formation could hold him off for... a hundred years!"

"century?!"

Gu Chenzi and the Twenty Venerables gasped in shock!
To withstand the true form of the "Fifth Realm"... a hundred years?!

What a terrifying "miracle" this is!
A century is enough time for the "sky and sea of ​​stars" to give birth to countless "variables"!

"Dao Ancestor (My Lord)... Forever!"

Everyone knelt down once again, completely convinced!

This is the "master" they follow!
This is the "Dao Ancestor" who recreated the starry sea!
"The formation is complete."

Su Chen slowly descended and stood in the center of the platform.

The "repulsive force" from the "sky and starry sea" had become a tangible "space-time storm" surrounding him.

He has to leave.

"Gu Chenzi".

"Disciple is here!" Gu Chenzi stepped forward respectfully.

"From this day forward, you will be the acting Palace Master of the Taiyi Dao Palace, in charge of the 'Laws of Immortals and Mortals,' and to educate all living beings. When you truly understand 'balance' and step into the 'Golden Immortal,' the title of 'acting' will be removed."

"Disciple... obeys the decree! I will certainly not fail the Dao Ancestor's trust!" Gu Chenzi's eyes were filled with tears.

"Dragon Emperor of the East Sea".

"The disciple is here!"

"You twenty Venerables are the 'Taiyi Guardians,' guarding the twenty nodes of the 'Life and Death Dao Array,' and are also the 'Transmitting Dharma Heavenly Venerables,' assisting Gu Chenzi."

"We! Obey our Lord's decree! We swear to protect the starry sky with our lives!" the twenty Venerables shouted in unison.

"Lu Cheng, the 'Shadow Walker,' monitors the starry sea and balances the immortals and demons."

Su Chen's decree spread throughout the entire star sea and reached the ears of Lu Cheng in the "Demon Suppression City".

"Disciple! Obey the decree!"

Everything is arranged.

Su Chen took one last look at the homeland he had personally "saved" and "rebuilt."

The path of immortality has begun to flourish.

The law has been established.

The protection has been achieved.

Yin and Yang are now in balance.

His "cause and effect" in this "sea of ​​stars"...

Finally, it's over. (End of Chapter)