Lord of the Rending Stars

The initial continent of the human race, the holy city of the human race.

The ripples in the Nine Abyss Realm completely subsided, and the independent spacetime silently re-anchored to its coordinates in the primordial universe. The vortex of air above the Holy City slowly calmed down, leaving only wisps of the elusive aura of the Law of Thunder, lingering in the minds of those with keen senses, signifying the extraordinary breakthrough that had just occurred.

The banquet invitation for Qingyang after he entered immortality had been delivered to the other immortal beings of the human race by the waiters several days in advance.

The main hall of the Ancient God's residence is cleverly extended, making it magnificent yet solemn.

In the center of the banquet hall, Qingyang sat down next to his teacher, the Ancient God Venerable. At this moment, his aura was harmonious and restrained, with only the occasional purple arc of electricity flashing in his eyes revealing the vast and profound divine power within him that had just been infused with the source.

"Disciple, you have broken through to the Immortal realm. After you have solidified your realm, do you have any plans?" The Ancient God Venerable asked after finishing a cup of Fire Ape Fruit Wine.

"I plan to further refine the weapon-refining techniques that my teacher taught me. I have collected a lot of weapon-refining materials in the secret realm and plan to try to refine ordinary heavy treasures," Qingyang revealed his thoughts.

"Good," the Ancient God Venerable nodded, quite pleased.

Qingyang got up and walked into the hall. He came to Jiuyu Wang and Bingfeng, and with a smile, he raised his wine glass and said, "Jiuyu, Bingfeng, come, come, let me toast you. We parted in haste in the secret realm last time, and I didn't have a proper chance to drink with you."

King Jiuyu and Bingfeng exchanged a glance. They had assumed that Qingyang would go with the Ancient God Venerable to drink with the universe overlords and universe venerables first. King Jiuyu stood up and patted Qingyang on the shoulder, "Well done. Last time we met, Qingyang, you were just a minor world lord. Now that you've broken through to immortality, your strength should be enough to crush us, right?"

A rare smile appeared on Bingfeng's usually cold face. "Jiuyu, Qingyang crushed you, but you haven't seen my true strength yet."

Qingyang laughed along, "We're comrades-in-arms. You should know my strength. I should be able to take on ten Jiuyus without any problem."

"Hahaha," everyone laughed along.

Meanwhile, Chaos Venerable and the smiling Peng Gong Venerable approached Qingyang. Chaos Venerable's voice was gentle yet carried a penetrating power, "Qingyang, your achievements today are seen by the entire clan. We hope that you will remain humble and modest in the future, until you grow into a great being who can rival your teacher, the Primordial Ancestor, the Giant Axe, and the Dragon Lord."

Venerable Peng Gong stepped forward with a smile, his divine power flowing naturally to sense things. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes: "Qingyang, your divine body is as refined as the core of a star, and your understanding of the laws is so profound that it is no less than that of some initial-level universe venerables. Little fellow, your foundation has truly broadened my horizons."

"You two are too kind. I am simply moving forward step by step," Qingyang replied humbly.

Venerable Xujin stood a short distance away, his white robes fluttering without wind, his aura sharp as a drawn divine sword. His gaze calmly fell on Qingyang, and he did not rush to speak, but beneath that calm, there seemed to be an undercurrent surging.

The Ancient God Venerable was overjoyed that his only disciple had broken through to the Immortal realm, and he had already gone off to boast to a group of his cosmic Venerable friends. Before the banquet, the Ancient God Venerable had already instructed the attendants that there was plenty of immortal wine on the jade table, and that any that was finished should be immediately refilled so that everyone could drink to their heart's content at the banquet.

Venerable Youlan personally poured Qingyang a cup of "Origin Dew" and said gently, "That old fellow, the Ancient God, has worried about you for many years. Today, seeing his beloved disciple step into immortality and no longer the little guy who needs careful protection, the heavy weight in his heart has finally been lifted."

Moved, Qingyang raised his cup with both hands under the watchful gaze of Venerable Youlan, first offering it to Venerable Gushen, "Disciple Qingyang thanks Master for his guidance and protection over the years."

He then turned to Venerable Youlan, Venerable Chaos, Venerable Peng Gong, and other cosmic overlords, saying, "Thank you, Senior Youlan, Senior Chaos, and all of you seniors for your guidance over the years. I am deeply grateful." After saying this, Qingyang raised his cup and drank it all in one gulp.

The Chaos Venerable drank the dew from his cup, nodded, and said, "Having achieved immortality, one should be granted a title according to custom. Your title, 'King of Rending Beacon,' earned during your Realm Lord stage, is now..."

Qingyang pondered for a moment, "Let's continue with the title 'King of Rift Beacon,' I'm already used to it." All the Venerables nodded in agreement, and the title 'King of Rift Beacon' was thus decided.

At this moment, Venerable Xujin put down his wine cup, his voice clear and melodious like the clinking of gold and jade, "Qingyang, your talent and aptitude are among the best in the long history of our human race. Your combat power at the Realm Lord stage was comparable to that of an invincible King. Now that you have entered the Immortal stage, your profound foundation and limitless future are beyond measure."

Venerable Xujin paused slightly, his gaze deepening. "My Giant Axe Arena seeks enlightenment through battle, believing in achieving ultimate sublimation through life-or-death combat. I observe your fighting style and the essence of 'Rending Beacon,' which align perfectly with the arena's philosophy. Would you be willing to join my Giant Axe Arena?"

"If you are willing to come to my Giant Axe Arena, I can promise: First, I will grant you the authority of an ordinary Universe Venerable, and resources will be allocated to ensure your breakthrough to Universe Venerable; Second, my teacher Giant Axe can accept you as a disciple and will guide you ten times; Third, if you wish to embark on the path of the Beast God in the future... In my arena's secret vault, there is a fragment of bone obtained from an ancient secret realm, which is suspected to be related to the 'Thunder Time Law', and its aura is ancient and extraordinary."

The last sentence caused the eyes of several cosmic venerables present to flicker slightly. The ancient artifact, suspected to be related to the inheritance of the Beast God's Path, was of immeasurable value and extremely tempting to Qingyang, who aspired to this path.

The Ancient God Venerable remained calm and did not interfere. This was Qingyang's own path, and he needed to make his own choice.

Qingyang rose and bowed solemnly to Venerable Xujin, his expression sincere. "Venerable Xujin, I am deeply grateful for your kindness. The conditions of the Giant Axe Arena, especially the ancient bone fragment, are indeed an incredible opportunity for me. I am deeply moved."

Qingyang changed the subject, his voice steady and firm, carrying an unquestionable tone, "However, during my Realm Lord stage, I was introduced to the Virtual Universe Company by 'Nine Universe King' and have joined the company. I am grateful for the many benefits the Virtual Universe Company has given me on my path of growth. In the path of cultivation, talent and resources are certainly important, but integrity and original intentions should not be easily abandoned. Although the opportunity bestowed upon me by you is good, I have made a promise beforehand and cannot break my promise to go elsewhere."

"This is not because the Giant Axe Arena is inferior to the Virtual Universe Company, but rather a personal choice and insistence of this junior. I deeply apologize for failing to live up to your good intentions," Qingyang said, bowing deeply once again.

The hall was silent. The gazes of the Venerables toward Qingyang held a different meaning. Rejecting such temptation and upholding their vows was a rare quality in a universe that pursues power above all else.

Venerable Xujin stared at Qingyang for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter filled with deep appreciation. "Good! You keep your promises, never forget your roots, and your will is as firm as a rock! This kind of character is the foundation for us strong to climb to the peak. I appreciate you, and I will not insist on your joining."

Venerable Xujin flipped his hand and took out a purple-gold token, casually tossing it to Qingyang: "This is the 'Xujin Token,' not a token of membership in my Martial Arts Arena, but a token of my personal friendship. With this token, all branches of the Giant Axe Martial Arts Arena throughout the universe will provide you with convenience, and you can also use it to send messages directly to me. If you have any questions about the Way of Combat, the fusion of laws, or need resources obtained through special channels in the future, you can come to me."

This magnanimity and subsequent goodwill earned the approval of the Chaos Venerable and others. If winning them over failed, forging a good relationship was a sign of high-level wisdom.