I've announced that I'm destined to have many children, and my father has bestowed upon me

She slowly raised her hand and pressed it down in mid-air above Fuluo's head.

A more solid, deathly aura-filled phantom of the Towering Peak slowly took shape in her palm.

At this moment, Elder Fuluo was utterly desperate.

He could clearly sense that within that small mountain peak lay a terrifying law powerful enough to crush his soul ten thousand times over.

This is not a warning, not a deterrent.

It is a trial.

"No...you can't kill me! I am the Supreme Elder of the Star Gate! If you kill me, how will the Hunyuan Sect explain itself to the world!"

Faced with the ultimate fear of death, Fulu roared hysterically, attempting to use the greater good of the sect to coerce the other party.

However, not a single wavering appeared on Jiuqing's face.

Explain?

She acts arbitrarily, so there's no need for her to explain herself to anyone.

She didn't even bother to say another word; she simply pressed down gently with her slender, white fingers.

The illusory image of the towering peak that had been floating in her palm suddenly vanished.

The next instant, it appeared on the top of Fuluo's head, and then fell heavily down.

No sound.

There were no screams.

Elder Fuluo's face, contorted with extreme fear, froze instantly.

Immediately afterwards, his body, from head to toe, began to turn to ashes inch by inch.

It is not combustion at the physical level, but a deeper level of annihilation.

From physical body to magical power, and even the deepest part of the soul, everything was completely erased by the Great Dao Laws contained within that mountain, leaving not a trace.

A peak-level Dragon Transformation Realm cultivator, who plotted for a thousand years to seize a new body, ultimately didn't even have the chance to reincarnate and completely vanished into the world.

The wind blows gently.

There was nothing in mid-air.

It was as if the person named Fuluo had never existed in this world.

The nine islands of Xinghai were utterly silent.

The Star Gate Master and the elders stared blankly at the spot where Fu Luo had disappeared, feeling a chill run from the soles of their feet straight to the top of their heads.

That's too...too domineering!

They killed him without hesitation, cleanly and decisively, without giving him any chance to explain!

Is this the style of the powerful figures from the upper sects?

Their awe reached its peak at this moment. At the same time, they no longer had any doubt that Furo was a traitor.

If the crime hadn't been so heinous and the evidence so conclusive, why would this immortal have been so decisive as to kill them right in front of all of them?

That must be it!

The leader of the Star Gate took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Jiu Qing once again.

"The Immortal Venerable's keen insight has led to the execution of this treacherous villain for our Star Gate. His kindness and virtue are immense; we are deeply grateful..."

Before he could finish speaking, he was lifted up by a gentle yet irresistible force.

Jiuqing's cold gaze did not linger on them at all, but instead glanced subtly at the shadowy spot below the cliff.

That glance was so fast that no one noticed it except the person being looked at.

Below the cliff, Zhao Chen'an's body stiffened slightly.

Immediately afterwards, a clear, cold voice resounded directly in the depths of his mind, without any medium, as if it were a thought that he himself had generated.

"You did well. Protect Junior Sister Mo and return to the sect as soon as possible."

Just one sentence, and that was it.

Zhao Chen'an wanted to use his divine sense to explore further, but found that the aura had vanished without a trace.

He looked up and saw that the figure in white robes, as pure as snow, was slowly fading and disappearing into nothingness high in the sky.

She seemed to have never moved, her figure simply blending into the world.

And so, under the gaze of countless people filled with awe, worship, and gratitude, it vanished without a trace.

When it arrived, heaven and earth stood still.

When it departs, nothing leaves a trace.

All that remains is a magnificent legend that overwhelmed the world and saved all living beings, deeply imprinted in the hearts of every creature on the Nine Islands of the Star Sea.

a long time.

The sect leader of Xingmen finally recovered from the extreme shock. He looked at the empty sky, his face filled with emotion and longing.

"This...is truly the demeanor of a superior sect!"

"The Immortal Venerable... she didn't even bother to accept our thanks, leaving without a trace after accomplishing her task, concealing her merits and fame..."

An elder, his face also filled with reverence, echoed:

"Yes, in the eyes of the Immortal Venerable, we are probably no different from ants. Saving us is probably just a trivial matter to her."

"Our Star Gate is truly fortunate to receive such a great favor!"

"Pass on my orders!" The Star Gate leader roused himself and shouted loudly to those below:

"All disciples, listen to my command! Immediately assess the casualties and repair the formation!"

"Furthermore, a longevity tablet shall be erected for the Nine Immortal Venerables of the Hunyuan Sect and enshrined in the main hall of the main island. Our Star Gate, generation after generation, shall never forget this great kindness!"

"Yes, sir!"

The Star Gate disciples, who had survived the ordeal, erupted in a deafening roar.

For a time, the entire Star Sea Nine Islands were immersed in a kind of ecstatic joy of surviving a calamity and boundless worship of the powerful figures of the upper sect.

No one noticed that while they were filled with gratitude and preparing to erect a longevity tablet for their savior...

The savior had already appeared silently outside the Star Gate Sect's treasury.

……

The Star Gate Treasury is located thousands of feet underground on the main island. It is made of ten-thousand-year-old black iron and is engraved with a heaven-grade protective array, which is connected to the earth veins of the nine islands.

Normally, this place is guarded by two elders who are at the early stage of the Dragon Transformation Realm, making it the most heavily guarded place in the entire Star Gate.

Before the treasure vault, in a secluded stone chamber, two elderly men with white hair and beards sat cross-legged.

They were the most senior members of the sect, second only to Fu Luo.

He dedicated his entire life to the sect, and now that his lifespan is nearing its end, he volunteered to guard the sect's lifeline.

Suddenly, one of the old men opened his eyes.

"Huh? Did you notice? It seems like all the noise outside has stopped?"

Another old man slowly opened his eyes, listened intently for a moment, and a hint of doubt appeared in his cloudy eyes.

"Indeed, the roars of the monsters and the booming sounds of the attacking formation have all disappeared... Could it be that the beast tide has been repelled?"

"Impossible, right? Although the sect leader and the others are quite strong, this beast tide is unprecedented in scale, and with the Demon King of Sendai overseeing it, how could they possibly be defeated so quickly..."

His words came to an abrupt end.

Because a white figure appeared before them without warning.

She stood there quietly, as if she had appeared out of thin air, piercing through the thick layers of rock and the protective array.

The two elders tensed instantly, their magical power surging wildly within them, their faces filled with horror.

"you……"

They had only uttered one word.

Jiuqing's gaze swept over indifferently.

There was no murderous intent, no oppressive aura.

But at that moment, the two elders, who were at the Dragon Transformation Realm, suddenly went limp and collapsed to the ground.

Their vitality was instantly drained by an incomprehensible force.

Their faces still bore the lingering horror of their final moments before death.

After doing all this, Jiuqing's face remained expressionless, as if she had merely crushed two insects blocking her path.

She walked up to the massive, gleaming black iron gate.

The restrictions on this door were left by the founding patriarch of the Star Gate sect. It is impossible to open them without the sect leader and the Supreme Elder joining forces with special tokens.

However, Jiuqing simply extended a slender finger and gently touched the incredibly complex core of the array.

hum!

The entire Heavenly Grade Grand Array failed to offer even the slightest resistance before its light dimmed instantly, and the countless runes flowing across it shattered in a flash.

The massive, heavy iron gate, weighing hundreds of millions of kilograms, slowly opened inward with a muffled thud.

A dense spiritual energy, almost tangible, rushed towards us.

Jiuqing stepped inside.

As far as the eye can see, there is an incredibly vast space.

Rows of shelves made of thousand-year-old soul-nourishing wood are neatly arranged, filled with a dazzling array of rare and precious materials.

There are rare minerals that shimmer with various colors of light.

There is a thousand-year-old medicinal herb sealed in a jade box, exuding a fragrant aroma.

There were also boxes of top-grade spirit stones, neatly stacked and piled up like mountains.

Deep within the treasure vault, there is even a separate area.

Inside, various cultivation methods and Taoist arts collected by the Star Gate over thousands of years are displayed, as well as dozens of Earth-grade and Mystic-grade magical artifacts.

This is the culmination of thousands of years of accumulation by a heretical sect.

For an ordinary cultivator, this would be an enormous fortune that could drive anyone mad.

But in Jiuqing's eyes, it only earned her a faint comment.

"Poor and stingy."

She shook her head slightly, seemingly somewhat disappointed, but her movements were not slow at all.

She simply waved her hand.

An invisible suction force instantly enveloped the entire treasure vault.

The next moment, something astonishing happened.

Those rare and precious materials on the shelves, those mountains of spirit stones, those jade slips containing cultivation techniques, those magical artifacts...

Even the shelves themselves, made from thousand-year-old soul-nourishing wood!

All of it was sucked up at once, turning into a colorful torrent that poured into her seemingly ordinary sleeve.

Wherever it goes, not a blade of grass grows.

In just a few breaths.

The once vast treasure trove, overflowing with dazzling arrays, became completely empty, cleaner than a plate licked clean by a dog.

Not even a single low-grade spirit stone remained in the corner.

Even after doing all this, Jiuqing still seemed unsatisfied.

She made a hand seal with one hand, and a wisp of barely perceptible gray-black aura flew out from her fingertips, silently merging into the air of the treasure vault.

This aura is of the same origin as the aura of Fuluo, whom she had previously killed, as well as those of the sea monsters.

After completing these final arrangements, she nodded in satisfaction.

Her figure faded again, about to disappear.

"well……"

A barely audible sigh echoed in the empty treasure vault.

"If it weren't for the life-or-death tribulation to become an immortal, why would I have to do such a despicable thing?"

"Although the Hunyuan Sect is a superior sect, who in the entire Central Heavenly Main World doesn't know that the disciples of the Hunyuan Sect are all penniless wretches!"

"Very well, this Star Gate has been entrenched here for thousands of years, using this ferry crossing to harm countless cultivators from small places who wanted to go to the Eastern Divine Continent. Today, I will take its treasure trove, which can be considered as acting on behalf of Heaven."

"As for those three little guys... it's their good fortune to have met them."

"And now there's one more unlucky scapegoat."

The sound faded away, and the figure vanished completely.

……

On the sea, the Star Gate Master was still in high spirits, directing his disciples to clean up the mess and envisioning a bright future for the sect.

Although the losses were heavy, they gained the favor of the Immortal Venerable of the Hunyuan Sect!

This is an incredible opportunity!

Perhaps in the future, their Star Gate will be able to latch onto the coattails of the Hunyuan Sect.

From a lowly, unorthodox sect, it leaped to become a heretical sect, even an appendage of the higher sect!

As he was happily thinking about it, a communication jade pendant at his waist suddenly began to flash with a blood-red light!

This is... something happened to the sect's treasure vault?!

The smile on the Star Gate Master's face froze instantly, and an ominous premonition surged into his heart.

Without a second thought, he blurred into a streak of light and charged madly toward the underground of the main island.

The other elders were also shocked when they saw this, and quickly followed behind.

When they arrived at the vault as quickly as possible, they found two already cold corpses and the wide-open black iron gate.

The Star Gate Master's heart sank to the bottom.

With trembling hands, he stepped into the treasure vault.

Then he saw the vast, empty space, even cleaner than his face.

"puff--"

A mouthful of blood suddenly spurted out from the Star Gate Master's mouth.

His vision went black, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.

"My...my treasure trove!"

A heart-wrenching scream echoed throughout the underground space.

Thousands of years of accumulation!

The Star Gate's millennia-old legacy... just like that, gone?!

"Who! Who did this?!"

An elder had bloodshot eyes and appeared to be insane.

Just then, an elder skilled in tracking and investigation suddenly sniffed the air.

"It's...it's demonic energy! And...and that old scoundrel Fuluo's demonic energy!"

Everyone was stunned by these words.

Immediately afterwards, the Star Gate Master's pale face was instantly replaced by endless rage and ferocity!

He's figured it out!

He's figured it all out!

"Excellent! Excellent Fuluo! Excellent feint attack, a sneak attack!"

He gritted his teeth, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth.

"I knew it! This beast tide was so strange! It turns out... it was all a setup!"

"He colluded with sea monsters to unleash a beast tide and draw all our attention!"

"Then, let his accomplices, who are secretly lying in wait, take the opportunity to loot my sect's treasury!"

"Even... his feigned escape and subsequent slaying by the Immortal Venerable were all to lull us into a false sense of security, giving his accomplices ample time to move the treasure!"

After a seemingly "reasonable" analysis, all the elders gasped in shock, feeling a chill run down their spines.

What a vicious scheme!

What a deep and cunning mind!

If it weren't for the sect leader's keen insight, they probably wouldn't have understood the key to this even until their deaths!

"Pass on my orders!"

The leader of the Star Gate roared to the sky, his voice filled with endless killing intent and resentment.

"Investigate! Even if you have to turn this endless sea upside down, find out who Fuluo's accomplices are!"

"I will tear them to pieces and grind their bones to ashes!!"

……

Inside an inn on one of the nine islands of Xinghai.

Zhao Chen'an and the other two had already quietly returned.

The noise outside had nothing to do with them.

Xiao Chuchu's face was still flushed with excitement as she chattered on and on.

"Husband, did you see that? That Nine-Tiered Immortal Venerable is just too amazing!"

"The Primordial Five Arts - Heavenly Peak! A single move suppressed the Demon King of Sendai and annihilated an army of tens of thousands of demon beasts! It's simply... simply a god descending to earth!"

Although Ye Shenglin didn't speak, the way she gripped the Wuhen Sword tightly showed that she was not at peace.

The shock that "Peak to Heaven" brought her was unparalleled.

That transcends the realm of "sword" and represents a higher level of power, the power of "Tao".

Only Zhao Chen'an remained silent. He sat by the window, looking at the chaotic scene outside, his brows slightly furrowed.

"Husband, what's wrong? Are you unhappy?"

Xiao Chuchu noticed his unusual behavior.

Zhao Chen'an shook his head and slowly spoke.

"I just feel that some parts don't make sense."

"What doesn't make sense?"

Zhao Chen'an turned his head and looked at the two women.

"You can imagine, this Fairy Jiuqing's strength is unfathomable."

"Since she arrived at these Nine Islands of Star Sea long ago, why did she conceal her tracks in the first place and watch helplessly as the Star Gate Formation was about to collapse before finally making her move?"

"Furthermore, since she could sense the aura of my fairy master on me, she also knew that she was seriously injured."

"Why not just take us back to the Hunyuan Sect?"

"Isn't that the safest and fastest way?"

"She's really so comfortable letting us three juniors with low cultivation levels carry our heavily injured fairy master to the Hunyuan Sect?"

A series of questions left Xiao Chuchu and Ye Shenglin stunned.

yes……

They were completely captivated by Fairy Jiuqing's ethereal beauty and world-destroying power, and hadn't given these thoughts a second thought.

Now that Zhao Chen'an brought it up, they realized that there were indeed many contradictions involved.

Zhao Chen'an turned his gaze back to the window, watching the Star Gate disciples hurrying by, their faces filled with anger and panic, lost in thought.

"I always felt that things weren't as simple as they seemed on the surface."