Living in the deep palace

Su Chen's gaze suddenly fell on a point on the star map.

That was a special world located at the border between the Ruins Domain and the Celestial Domain—the [Celestial River Realm].

There flows a "Heavenly River" from the celestial realm, abundant in spiritual energy and resources. More importantly, it serves as a transit point for supplies for the Heavenly Court's army during its conquest of the Ruins, and also as the main base for the Heavenly Court's navy!
"If I burned down their granaries... no, I ate them."

"If I cut off their logistical supplies, or even drain that Milky Way..."

"Then, can they still operate the Haotian Mirror?"

A crazy and cunning smile slowly crept onto Su Chen's lips.

"The best defense is offense."

"The Four Heavenly Kings want to come to my house as guests?"

"Then I'll go to your place first... and get a free meal!"

……

At the boundary between the Ruins Domain and the Celestial Domain, the void is in turbulent flow.

This is a buffer zone between two vast worlds, where spatial storms rage and meteorites rain down.

Even an ordinary Golden Immortal would suffer a severe beating if he accidentally wandered into this place.

However, at this moment, a faint, almost imperceptible light moved freely through the turbulent spatial currents like a fish.

It was a miniature, shuttle-shaped flying boat, its entire body covered by a thin gray film—that was the disguise law of the [Void Branch].

Inside the flying boat, there was only Su Chen.

He did not bring a large army.

Since they were going to "steal food," the quieter the better. They were discovered before they even reached the door, along with the giant guards.

Moreover, Su Chen's image has changed drastically this time.

He was no longer the immortal Dao Ancestor with green robes, black hair, and an overbearing aura.

At this moment, he was dressed in a black official robe embroidered with shadowy cloud patterns, with a Xuanbing token engraved with the character "North" hanging at his waist. His face was cold, his eyes exuded a murderous aura that kept strangers at bay, and his body was surrounded by wisps of pure and incomparably dark laws.

This appearance is practically a carbon copy of the Northern Heavenly King!
Or more accurately, this was an identity that Su Chen perfectly replicated after using the Soul-Absorbing Branch to devour the memories of the Northern Heavenly King's clone, combined with the disguise ability of the Void Branch.

Li Yin, the chief inspector under the Northern Heavenly King.

This "Li Yin" was a confidant of the Northern Heavenly King, who was responsible for inspecting various realms, accepting bribes, and engaging in shady dealings on behalf of the Northern Heavenly King for many years. Because of his ruthless methods and powerful background, he was notorious among the Heavenly Court's dispatched officials as "the devil's nightmare."

"This identity is convenient."

Su Chen touched his face, and his voice became hoarse and grating.

"The Heavenly River Realm...we've arrived."

Through the airship's windows, a magnificent panorama unfolded before us.

A dazzling Milky Way, millions of miles wide and of unknown length, stretches across the dark void. It is no ordinary river, but rather the "Weak Water," formed from the liquefied spiritual energy of stars!
Of the three thousand rivers, not even a goose feather can float.

This Milky Way is not only a natural barrier, but also a huge natural spiritual vein!

On both banks of the Milky Way, countless magnificent golden camps and docks floated in the air. Tens of thousands of silver-armored celestial soldiers moved among them, and giant ships laden with supplies were loading and unloading cargo.

This is the Heavenly River Realm, the base of the Heavenly Court's 800,000-strong naval forces.

"Such a rich aquatic energy..."

Su Chen took a deep breath, and even through the protective array, every cell in his body was cheering with joy.

Of the five elements, he has already obtained earth (underworld), metal (divine weapon), wood (longevity), and fire (the Chaos Furnace barely counts), but water has always been his weakness.

"If only we could drink this river dry..."

Su Chen suppressed the urge to directly activate the [Gluttony Maw].

"No rush, let's sneak in first, find the core of the formation, take the pot, and then eat."

call out!
Su Chen piloted the flying boat, heading directly towards the largest entrance to the Heavenly River Realm—the "South Heavenly Gate Branch".

"Halt! Who dares to trespass on the sacred territory of the Milky Way?!"

Before they even got close, two Golden Immortal Heavenly Generals guarding the gate blocked their path on clouds, their long spears gleaming coldly.

"Blinded your dog eyes!"

Su Chen stepped out of the flying boat, his face bearing his signature cold expression, and casually tossed the Xuanbing Token over.

"I am Li Yin, Inspector of the Northern Heavenly King's Palace! I have been ordered by the King to inspect the defenses of the Heavenly River! Make way at once!"

The two heavenly generals took the token and, upon seeing the pure aura of the Northern Heavenly King emanating from it, trembled with fear.

"So it's Lord Li! This humble general was blind and has no right to recognize you, please forgive me, sir!"

"Hmph, if you delay the prince's important business, I'll skin you alive!"

Su Chen snatched back the token and swaggered into the Heavenly River Realm.

The two heavenly generals watched his retreating figure, still wiping away cold sweat.

"Why is Li Yanwang here? Has some corruption case been uncovered here?"

"Shh! Don't talk nonsense! Quickly inform the Grand Marshal to prepare a welcome feast!"

……

[Tianhe Water Mansion, Commander's Tent]

The ruler of the Heavenly River Realm, Marshal Tianpeng, who commands an army of 800,000 naval troops, came out with a beaming smile.

This is a powerful early-stage Grand Luo Golden Immortal, clad in gleaming silver armor, slightly plump, and always sporting a friendly smile.

Although his cultivation level was not weak, Marshal Tianpeng was a well-known "old hand" in the Heavenly Court. His greatest skills were not fighting, but rather logistics, building relationships, and getting by.

"Oh dear, what brings Lord Li here? I'm so sorry for not greeting you properly!"

Marshal Tianpeng warmly grasped Su Chen's hand and discreetly slipped him a storage ring.

Su Chen scanned it with his divine sense and found that it contained a full 100,000 catties of top-grade immortal source stones.

"Hehe, Marshal, you're too kind."

Su Chen put the ring away quite naturally, and the cold look on his face softened slightly.

This perfectly aligns with Li Yin's character.

“I am also acting under orders. The prince said that the demon named Su Chen in the lower realm has been causing quite a stir recently. His Majesty is going to use the Haotian Mirror, and the logistical supplies are of paramount importance. The prince specifically asked me to keep an eye on things to prevent... any mishaps.”

As Su Chen spoke, he scanned the furnishings in the command tent with the same scrutinizing gaze one would use on goods, and... Marshal Tianpeng's plump, fleshy body.

Marshal Tianpeng felt uneasy under Li's gaze, sensing that something was off about the man's eyes, as if he were looking at... braised pork.

"Don't worry, Lord Li! Our Tianhe Realm may not have much else, but we have plenty of supplies!"

Marshal Tianpeng patted his chest and guaranteed, "Eight hundred thousand naval troops, training day and night! Food, pills, and formation materials are piled up like mountains! Enough to keep the Haotian Mirror burning for hundreds of years!"

"Oh? Piled up like a mountain?"

Su Chen licked his lips, a flash of purple light disappearing in his eyes.

"Seeing is believing. Marshal, would you mind taking me to... the warehouse?"

"This..." Marshal Tianpeng hesitated for a moment. The warehouse was a restricted area, and in principle, no one should be allowed to enter casually.

"What? Something's fishy going on?" Su Chen's face darkened, and the dark pressure of a mid-stage Great Luo Realm cultivator subtly erupted from his body. "Or perhaps, Marshal, you... embezzled those supplies?"

"No, no! Absolutely not!"

Marshal Tianpeng was startled by the terrifying pressure emanating from the man.

When did Li Yin break through to the mid-stage of the Great Luo realm? His strength is even greater than mine!

"Since you wish to see, then please do!"

……

Under the guidance of Marshal Tianpeng, Su Chen visited the core warehouse of the Heavenly River Realm.

This is a giant crystal palace built at the bottom of the Milky Way.

Upon entering, even the well-traveled Su Chen was dazzled by the sight before him.

To the left, there were undulating piles of immortal spirit stones like a mountain range; to the right, there were tens of thousands of bottles and jars filled with all sorts of elixirs and miraculous medicines; overhead, thousands upon thousands of standardized magical artifacts floated; beneath their feet, primordial spiritual energy flowed in a dense, liquid state. "So rich..."

Su Chen's Adam's apple bobbed up and down.

Although the Longevity Imperial City was considered wealthy, compared to the Heavenly Court's accumulation over countless years, it was practically a beggar's den.

"Are these... all destined for the Haotian Mirror Formation?" Su Chen asked.

“Exactly,” Marshal Tianpeng proudly explained. “This is only a part; there are many more in other warehouses. As long as the Four Heavenly Kings give the order, we can ship the goods at any time.”

"good very good."

Su Chen nodded, then suddenly turned around, looked at Marshal Tianpeng, and gave him an extremely bright smile.

"Marshal, since the supplies are all here."

"Then may I... try it first?"

"Try something new?" Marshal Tianpeng was taken aback. "What would you like, sir? Just take it."

"I want to try it..."

Su Chen slowly opened his mouth, and under Marshal Tianpeng's horrified gaze, the mouth grew larger and larger until it covered his entire face, revealing the swirling, pitch-black hole inside.

"The smell of the entire Tianhe Realm!"

boom!
Su Chen stopped pretending!

The Chaotic Immortal Body has fully erupted!
Countless bronze-colored roots, like tens of thousands of ferocious tentacles, burst forth from his body in an instant!

puff!puff!puff!

Before the heavenly soldiers guarding the warehouse could react, they were pierced by the roots and instantly sucked dry.

Many more roots have taken root directly into the mountain of spirit stone veins and the ocean of pills!
"suck--!!!"

Like a whale sucking in water.

The mountain of supplies that was enough to support the Haotian Mirror for a hundred years was collapsing and disappearing at a visible speed, all of which poured into Su Chen's bottomless inner universe!

"You...you're not Li Yin!!"

"who are you?!"

"I know!"

"You are that traitor, the one who descended to the mortal realm, the one whom the Heavenly Emperor himself ordered to be killed!"

Marshal Tianpeng let out a scream and turned to run away.

"run?"

A thick tentacle instantly wrapped around his bulky waist, dragging him back forcefully.

Su Chen's enormous, chaotic face loomed close to him, his eyes filled with mockery.

"Marshal, you've taken good care of yourself with all that fat."

"Perfect, it'll help me rehydrate!"

"No—Help!!!"

Click!

The screams stopped abruptly.

The Lord of the Milky Way, Marshal Tianpeng, a Grand Luo Golden Immortal in the early stages, thus became the first "appetizer" for Su Chen's plunder of the Milky Way Realm.

"Next..."

Su Chen swallowed the marshal, his body transforming into a gigantic being ten thousand feet tall. He smashed through the dome of the Crystal Palace and plunged into the vast and mighty Milky Way.

He spread his arms, and the phantom of the Immortal Tree behind him blotted out the sky.

"This feast... has only just begun!"

"Eternal Life - Devouring Heaven and Earth!!"

Rumble!
The Milky Way flows backward!

An unprecedented plundering is unfolding right under the noses of the Heavenly Court!

……

……

With Marshal Tianpeng swallowed whole by Su Chen, the Crystal Palace, the central hub commanding 800,000 naval troops, was completely transformed into a battlefield of carnage.

A colossal chaotic dharma image stood atop the ruins. Su Chen wiped away the golden divine blood that had spilled from the corner of his mouth. It was the Great Luo Origin of Marshal Tianpeng, with a mellow taste and a rich power of the Water Element Law.

"It tastes good, rich but not greasy."

"pity."

"He's just a Great Luo Golden Immortal, not some Great Luo Immortal."

Su Chen snapped his fingers, and the illusory image of the Immortal Tree behind him, which stretched from the sky to the ground, trembled violently. Countless bronze roots, like greedy giant pythons, instantly plunged into the shattered resource vault below.

Rumble!
Piles of immortal source stones, hundreds of millions of immortal pills, bundles of standardized magical artifacts... These strategic resources, which the Heavenly Court had accumulated for tens of thousands of years to power the Haotian Mirror, were now surging into Su Chen's inner universe like a flood bursting its banks.

His stomach was like a black hole that could never be filled.

"Not enough...not enough!"

Su Chen felt the energy within his body rising.

Having devoured the Northern Heavenly King's avatar, then Marshal Tianpeng, and this treasure vault, his cultivation had reached the critical point of the peak of the mid-stage of the Great Luo realm. That invisible membrane was right before his eyes, easily broken with a gentle poke.

But his Longevity Tree was too vast and its foundation too profound.

An ordinary person only needs the energy of a single river to break through, but he... needs an entire ocean!
Su Chen slowly raised his head, his eyes, burning with chaotic purple flames, fixed on the dazzling Milky Way stretching across the starry sky above him.

Milky Way!

The progenitor of the Heavenly Water Veins!

The liquid flowing within is a divine liquid formed by the legendary mixture of "Heavenly True Water" and "Weak Water," a single drop of which weighs as much as a thousand pounds, capable of sinking all things and nourishing all things.

"Aquatic wood."

"My Longevity Tree belongs to the Wood element, and what it lacks most is this top-grade water!"

"If I could drink this river dry... my Five Elements Laws would be completely perfected!"

A crazy determination flashed in Su Chen's eyes.

"Enemy attack!! The Grand Marshal has been eaten!!"

"Quickly! Form the formation! Heavenly River Navy, listen to my command, form the 'Heavenly River World-Destroying Formation'!!"

It was only at this point that the 800,000 naval troops stationed in camps on both sides of the strait reacted.

Although their commander-in-chief was dead, this army was, after all, the Heavenly Court's regular army, and was well-trained. Under the roaring commands of several deputy commanders, countless silver-armored heavenly soldiers soared into the sky, piloting warships and arranging themselves according to mysterious formations.

Om-! ! !
A blue light curtain shot into the sky, connecting the entire Milky Way.

The once calmly flowing Milky Way instantly became turbulent. Towering waves transformed into nine water dragons, each tens of thousands of miles long, baring their fangs and claws as they lunged at Su Chen.

"You wicked creature! How dare you kill my commander! Today I will surely suppress you at the bottom of the Milky Way, so that you will never be able to rise again for countless eons!!"

A deputy commander with the cultivation level of the early stage of the Great Luo realm stood on the flagship, his eyes bloodshot, waving his command flag wildly.

"Suppress me?"

Su Chen looked at the nine water dragons that were rushing towards him with world-destroying power and sneered disdainfully.

"If that fat bastard Tianpeng were still here, with him as the core of the formation, this formation might still make me wary of it."

"Great Immortals, I can kill them like mowing grass!"

"Those in the Fifth Realm who are weaker are not qualified to keep me here!"

"Now a bunch of small fry think they can turn the world upside down?"

"Eternal Life - The Fifth Branch - Divine Weapon Realm!"

"Smash it...!" (End of Chapter)