Within the secluded depths of Nine Nether Palace, a tranquil courtyard exuded serene elegance. Stone pavilions stood beside flowing streams, creating an atmosphere of refined stillness.
Atop a rock in the middle of the stream, Jiu You sat cross-legged. Her lithe, graceful figure was wrapped in flowing robes that outlined her proud curves. Her delicate eyes remained half-closed as spiritual energy surged around her. Faint black flames flickered upon her form — though they emitted no heat, the surrounding space twisted continuously under their powerful pressure.
She remained in quiet meditation for a long time before slowly opening her eyes. Stretching her jade-like arms lazily, her figure arched, revealing a breathtaking silhouette.
"Huh? Where did that guy run off to?"
Jiu You extended her spiritual senses, but she could not detect Zhou Yi's presence within Nine Nether Palace. Not even Qing Yanjing, Liu Baihua, or Hu Meizi had any trace of him.
After spending some time around Zhou Yi, she had discovered a particular flaw of his.
He couldn't sleep without women at night.
"Could he have gone off to mess around with someone else again?"
A thought surfaced in Jiu You's mind. The Great Havenlaw Domain was not lacking in beauties. Aside from her own subordinates, Tang Bing and Tang Rou, and that delicate little Domain Ruler loli, the Great Havenlaw Army also had several peerless beauties.
The Great Havenlaw Army was the strongest military force of the Great Havenlaw Domain — the direct line of Mandala, the Domain Ruler. Every soldier within its ranks had at least reached the Supreme Realm.
Among them were five Grand Commanders.
The First Grand Commander, Huo Mei'er, was an alluring enchantress who had once entered the Great Havenlaw Domain alongside Jiu You. They were close friends but also rivals.
Apart from Huo Mei'er, there were the Third Grand Commanders — Bing Xin and Bing Qing, a pair of cold, beautiful twin sisters.
Boom!
Suddenly, two powerful auras erupted one after another. A dazzling smile blossomed across Jiu You's stunning face.
With the help of the Sovereign Spirit Liquid and pills Zhou Yi had gifted them, the Tang sisters had successfully broken through to One-Star Supreme Realm.
Though the Supreme Realm was nothing remarkable in the boundless Great Thousand World, for ordinary cultivators, it marked the first step into the ranks of true powerhouses.
Whoosh!
Two streaks of light — one black, one red — appeared before Nine Nether. The two sisters, identical in appearance but opposite in temperament, stood together like a picturesque sight.
"Jiu You Sis, we've broken through!"
"The Heavenly Sovereign's pills were so powerful! We thought it would take a long time to break through to Supreme Realm, but we did it in one go!"
Tang Bing and Tang Rou clung to Jiu You's arms, their delicate faces glowing with joy.
"I'm happy for you two… but that guy is no good. Stay away from him in the future, or he'll eat you alive!"
Though pleased with their breakthrough, Jiu You couldn't help but pout at the thought of Zhou Yi.
He was perfect in every way — except he was too much of a womanizer.
"How could that be? The Heavenly Sovereign seems so kind."
The sisters blinked, finding Jiu You's warning hard to believe. Zhou Yi was handsome, generous, and lacked the arrogance typical of Heavenly Supremes, leaving them with nothing but good impressions.
"You two know nothing. The most dangerous hunters always disguise themselves as prey. By the time you see his true face, you'll already be caught in his claws!"
Jiu You's eyes narrowed as she teased, her voice carrying a hint of mock ferocity.
"When that happens, no one will be able to save you — not even the heavens or the earth! He'll pull out a terrifying whip and punish you mercilessly, no matter how much you cry or beg for mercy!"
"Scared?"
Tang Rou shivered slightly, while Tang Bing rolled her eyes.
"Jiu You Sis, do you really think we're three-year-olds?"
Clearly, they weren't buying it.
Far away, within Mandala Palace — the grand residence of the Great Havenlaw Domain's Domain Ruler— Mandala might have had a very different response:
"You little brats don't know anything… It's true! It's all true! So terrifying! So horrible! Wuuu~~"
Mandala Palace stood majestic and vast, with the fragrance of blooming Mandala Flowers lingering in the air. These flowers flourished everywhere, reflecting the DomainRuler's true form — the legendary Mandala Flower.
Atop the highest throne, carved in the shape of a Mandala Blossom, Mandala lay sideways. Her bare, jade-like feet dangled lazily, revealing breathtaking curves beneath her torn black dress. Her delicate face flushed red, her golden eyes dazed.
She felt like she was dying.
Zhou Yi, on the other hand, felt like he was in heaven.
Especially with the reward Mandala had just offered him:
[Reward: Ancient Haven Palace Key — Upon refining, grants dominion over the Ancient Heavenly Palace as its new Master.]
The Ancient Haven Palace was built by the Ancient Heavenly Emperor. Ever since the Heavenly Emperor perished in battle against the extraterritorial Fiend Race, the palace had vanished.
Without its ruler, the Skylaw Continent had become a land without a master.
Zhou Yi had originally planned to craft his own Heavenly Sovereign Manor as his base, but with the Ancient Haven Palace in his hands, he only needed to reshape it to his liking.
With the Ancient Haven Palace under his command, claiming the Skylaw Continent would be a matter of course.
After all, wasn't the continent once the Heavenly Emperor's domain?
"You really are a big bad wolf…"
Mandala rested her flushed face against Zhou Yi's chest, her white jade-like hand weakly pounding his chest.
Not only had he harvested her forces, but he had also conquered her body.
"If I'm a bad wolf, do you like it?"
Zhou Yi kissed her delicate face, his warm breath brushing against her pale cheek.
"N-No…"
Mandala turned her head away in a pout, though she greedily inhaled his scent. For someone who had lived from the Ancient Era until now, this was an entirely new experience.
"Heh, women always say one thing and mean another."
Zhou Yi chuckled knowingly.
Most of the women by his side were mature, dominant types.
A "legal loli" like Mandala was a rare delicacy.
Only Zi Yan could compare — though when Zhou Yi had claimed her, she had already grown into a full-fledged Goddess Queen under his guidance.
Just thinking about it made his eyes flicker with heat.
"Not again… Can we wait until tomorrow?"
Mandala shivered as if sensing his thoughts.
She truly wasn't his match.
This man was simply too terrifying… It hurt her soul.
"I have good news."
Zhou Yi hugged Mandala's petite body tightly against his chest, whispering into her ear.
"What news?"
Mandala's curiosity was piqued, though she dared not move too much for fear of awakening the slumbering dragon.
"I've already refined the Ancient Haven Palace Key. Once we find your true body and fuse it with your current self, you'll reach Perfected Earthly Supreme... and with my help, becoming a Heavenly Supreme will be within your grasp."
"You… really refined the Ancient Haven Palace?!"
Mandala's golden eyes trembled in disbelief.
Zhou Yi's grin widened.
"You brought this upon yourself… Don't blame me."
"You big bad wolf… Mmm!"
Mandala's delicate body trembled.
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted.
A golden pyramid tens of thousands of feet tall emerged from the fractured void behind Mandala, covered in ancient runes that shimmered like stars.
The stars detached from the pyramid, converging in the sky to form a celestial star map.
Mandala's golden eyes gleamed as she gazed at the map, her voice trembling:
"The Ancient Haven Palace… is truly returning to the world…"
"You truly control the Ancient Haven Palace?"
Mandala's gaze remained locked on Zhou Yi, shock and disbelief flickering in her eyes.
"Would I need to deceive you?"
Zhou Yi smiled faintly, his mind stirring.
Above the northern skies of the Great Havenlaw Domain, the stars shimmered brighter. One by one, starlight cascaded down, sweeping across the firmament. Amidst the radiance, faint cracks began to appear in the starry sky.
From those cracks, a primordial and boundless aura surged forth—ancient, vast, and oppressive—spanning across the heavens and earth as if piercing through time itself.
Occasionally, distorted space revealed glimpses of a grand celestial palace shrouded in mist—so immense that even Greater Earthly Supremes would tremble before its majesty.
As the fissure emerged, the peak powerhouses of Skylaw Continent—leaders of top forces and those who had stepped into the Earthly Supreme Realm—sensed the anomaly.
Eyes filled with shock pierced through space, converging on the northern domain.
Even with their tempered wills, these supreme beings rose abruptly, expressions filled with ecstatic disbelief.
"This aura... Is that the Ancient Haven Palace? It's really about to appear?!"
"You actually mastered the Ancient Haven Palace... How did you accomplish this?"
As an Earthly Supreme, Mandala had naturally sensed the palace's aura—especially since she resided in the northern domain. Her eyes shone with incredulity.
In that moment, no matter how much she refused to believe, she had no choice but to accept the truth.
"I just did."
Zhou Yi straightened his back, chuckling lightly.
Mandala shot him a glare, clearly unconvinced.
"Scoundrel."
She assumed Zhou Yi was hiding the truth—but in reality, his words were entirely honest. It was through her that he had obtained the key to control the Ancient Haven Palace.
At the same time, Qing Yanjing, Jiu You, Liu Baihua, and Hu Meizi all sensed the palace's emergence, rising to their feet.
"This is… the Ancient Haven Palace?"
Qing Yanjing's gaze pierced through the void, locking onto the palace hidden within the depths of space.
"The Ancient Haven Palace is appearing now… Could this be related to Zhou Lang?"
The Ancient Haven Palace was built by the Heavenly Emperor—once the ruler of Skylaw Continent. Now, with Zhou Yi seeking to dominate the continent, the palace's sudden emergence was too much of a coincidence to ignore.
"Could Zhou Lang have obtained the Heavenly Emperor's inheritance?"
The Heavenly Emperor was one of the Nine Emperors, renowned throughout history. He had mastered one of the Thirty-Six Peerless Divine Abilities—One Qi Transforms into Three Purities (Three Pures)—a technique that allowed him to create two powerful clones, effectively tripling his strength.
With this technique, the Heavenly Emperor—originally a lone Heavenly Supreme—had wielded the power of three.
"With such a monumental event, why hasn't Zhou Lang shown himself yet?"
Qing Yan Jing's brows furrowed in doubt.
"I think I know where he is."
Jiu You's cool voice echoed as her figure appeared.
"Where?"
"We'll know when we get there."
Jiu You led Qing Yanjing toward Mandala Palace.
Mandala Palace.
"One Qi Transforms into Three Purities… this divine ability is quite interesting."
Zhou Yi's eyes gleamed as he recalled the Heavenly Emperor's peerless technique.
With two powerful clones, not only would his combat strength skyrocket, but he'd gain two loyal subordinates.
His true self could indulge in life's pleasures—diligently working toward the family's prosperity—while his clones cut through obstacles and expanded his influence.
Perfect.
"Found him!"
"Hmph, not even letting the Domain Ruler go… Beast!"
"Enjoying yourself, aren't you?"
Jiu You's icy voice rang out, startling Mandala.
"Relax… they're our own people."
Zhou Yi's hand stroked Mandala's snow-white shoulder, his expression calm.
With his strength, he had naturally detected Jiu You and Qing Yanjing long before they arrived—but he had no need to flee or hide.
He was playing openly and righteously.
"Care to join?"
Zhou Yi's smile deepened as his gaze lingered on Jiu You and Qing Yanjing's graceful figures.
"Go to hell!"
Jiu You flung a fireball at Zhou Yi, vanishing in a flash. Qing Yanjing followed without a word.
Zhou Yi caught the fireball effortlessly, crushing it like a blooming flower in his palm.
At that moment, a streak of light shot into the palace—a woman wrapped in thin robes, revealing large swathes of snowy skin.
Her fiery red hair cascaded down, and her curvaceous figure made Zhou Yi's blood stir even as he embraced Mandala.
A single beauty mark near her lips only added to her seductive charm.
Zhou Yi naturally wouldn't stop such a stunning woman from entering—perhaps she could help share Mandala's burden.
As Zhou Yi's eyes roved over her figure, the woman's face flickered with shock—especially when she saw Zhou Yi and Mandala's… state.
"I… I saw nothing!"
The Great Havenlaw Army's Chief Commander, Huo Mei'er, flushed crimson, spinning to leave.
Yet before she could escape, a suffocating pressure pinned her down.
"Domain Ruler… Heavenly Supreme… I saw nothing… Please punish me!"
Huo Mei'er knelt on one knee, trembling as her ample chest heaved. The sheer power radiating from Zhou Yi left her mind spinning.
"Do you know the fate of those who stumble upon secrets?"
Zhou Yi's voice was slow and deliberate.
"There are only two outcomes…"
Huo Mei'er's body trembled, panic flickering in her eyes.
"W-what's the second?"
"The second is…"
Zhou Yi retracted his pressure, lips curling playfully.
"Naturally… to join in."
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