“`

The disciples of Ice Toad Emperor had been stuck at the peak of the Daluo realm for countless years, their accumulations profound and vast. They had been unable to break through due to a missing opportunity.

However, after obtaining the lotus seeds derived from the Harmony Creation Blue Lotus, and leveraging its extraordinary effects, they finally managed to break through and step into the Quasi Holy Emperor Realm.

For the current Origin Star Palace, with three Quasi Holy Emperors overseeing, safety was no longer a major concern. Thus, finding the Junior Brother had become the most important and urgent task.

“…But aren’t we going to deal with the Calamity Fate Palace?” Dongfang Zhihan asked. “Whether actively or passively, they have now become the lackeys of the Heavenly Human Clan. If we don’t deal with them quickly, those annoying guys in the Misty Illusion Secret Realm will keep coming out and take root in the Great Void.”

The number of Heavenly Human Clan experts in the Calamity Fate Palace was increasing, and the space-time passage between the two realms was no longer closed. Their ambition was clear: to plunder the fortune of the Great Void. They would stop at nothing to achieve their goal.

This undoubtedly touched the reverse scale of all Dao Lineage powers, including the Origin Star Palace.

Ice Toad Emperor pondered, “Of course, we need to deal with this, but not now. Let the Dao Court and those Dao Lineage powers handle it for a while. If we act too early, they might just sit back and watch us fight to the death with the Heavenly Human Clan.”

Ye Xinglan laughed, “Senior Sister is right. Besides finding the Junior Brother, we should focus on managing our own territory and wait for our Master to return from the upper realm. We don’t need to worry about external matters for now.”

In the eyes of those Dao Lineage powers, the Heavenly Human Clan was certainly not good, but the return of numerous disciples from the Origin Star Palace was equally threatening to them.

Over the long years, the Great Void had been dominated by the Origin Star Palace for billions of years, suppressing all Dao Lineage powers to the point of suffocation. Before the departure of the Star Palace’s master, all major affairs of this realm were basically decided by this foremost immortal sanctuary, leaving little room for other powers to speak.

When the disciples of the Origin Star Palace went to the upper realm and the foremost immortal sanctuary was sealed with multiple formations and restrictions, the Great Void finally saw a flourishing and competitive landscape.

Over the long years, countless Dao Lineage powers rose and fell, repeating cycles of grudges, joys, and sorrows…

With past lessons in mind, the existing powers in the Great Void, especially the Dao Court, absolutely did not want to see the Origin Star Palace regain its former authority and once again rule the Great Void as the foremost immortal sanctuary.

Ice Toad Emperor glanced at the disciples present, feeling a bit regretful. They had stayed together in the upper realm for so long and had gained numerous opportunities, accumulating similarly.

Now that Dongfang Zhihan and Ye Xinglan had broken through, if they could quickly find the Junior Brother, even without more lotus seeds, his fortune could help more disciples break through.

With more Quasi Holy Emperors, the Origin Star Palace could not only expand its territory but also consider sweeping through the Heavenly Human Clan and all Dao Lineage powers, taking control of the Great Void in advance.

…

Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace.

The Tribulation Clouds above Yunji Peak gathered and dispersed repeatedly over several months, never ceasing.

As batches of female immortals successfully crossed their tribulations and stepped into the Taiyi Golden Immortal realm, the overall strength of the Female Cultivator Alliance rapidly increased.

To date, the territories of the five female cultivator powers had become rare sanctuaries. Even when the Magic Clan progeny armies launched large-scale attacks, they were quickly exterminated and countered.

Of course, the attacks of these aberrations continued to intensify, with more high-level Magic Clan progeny appearing on the battlefield. If not for the timely emergence of more Golden Immortals and Taiyi Golden Immortals within the Female Cultivator Alliance, the casualties would have continued to rise.

Other Dao Lineage powers were not so fortunate. One after another, they struggled under the siege of the Magic Clan progeny armies, suffering greatly, and even having their mountain gates breached, resulting in complete annihilation from top to bottom.

Some sects and powers, unwilling to sit and wait for death, began to form alliances for self-preservation or simply attached themselves to the Dao Court, giving up their independence to ensure the continuation of their sects or families.

In this era of great tribulations, survival was the most crucial, and everything else had become less important.

Qing Muling had already sensed that the most dangerous and terrifying moment of this demonic tribulation was far from over. More than one or two Magic Clan Emperors might appear in the future. When that time came, it would be an unmitigated disaster for the entire cultivation world of the Great Void, or rather, an apocalyptic catastrophe!

Including Xinyu, the five female Emperors had no disagreement with Qing Muling’s judgment, differing only in the timing of this event.

If more than five Magic Clan Emperors attacked the Female Cultivator Alliance’s territory together, the current strength would still be insufficient. The alliance would need more Quasi Holy Emperors to ensure the defense of all important territories.

On this day, as the sky above Yunji Peak cleared, the last batch of female immortals’ Taiyi Golden Immortal tribulation finally came to an end.

“…It’s finally over. I guess I don’t need to show my face anymore?” Qing Muling silently mused, his figure quietly disappearing from the Ascension Platform.

When he reappeared, he was already at the entrance of Mu Yinghua’s cave, planning to talk to his Master and check if Xuezi was starving.

The entrance was quiet, with only the elders on duty present, and no sign of the senior sisters.

It was unclear whether they had forgotten or had a change of heart, deciding to let the Junior Brother rest for a while before making him work again.

Of course, it was more likely that the Master or the Emperors had instructed them not to disturb Qing Muling this time, otherwise, they wouldn’t have willingly given up.

Qing Muling entered the cave with ease. Mu Yinghua, with her graceful and beautiful demeanor, was still busy on the cloud bed. Her thin, translucent red palace dress, with gold-trimmed edges, revealed a large expanse of enticing white skin, squeezed into a deep cleavage by her corset, and her slender waist and exaggerated hips were fully displayed.

Despite not being the first time to taste, and even further exploring, every time he saw his Master’s enchanting and stunning figure, the flames in Qing Muling’s heart would rise, and his intense impulses were hard to suppress.

Calling out to his Master, Qing Muling lightly climbed onto the cloud bed, wrapped his arms around Mu Yinghua’s voluptuous body from behind, and skillfully moved his hands up and down. The smooth and soft skin, with its incredible elasticity, instantly made his breathing heavy.

Mu Yinghua let out a few low moans, her body resisting slightly but not pushing him away.

Seeing that his Master did not refuse, Qing Muling no longer hesitated. He reached for her waist and loosened the jade belt, driving straight into the depths of her skirt. At the same time, he bit the corset tie on her jade neck, gently pulling it, causing the full and plump breasts to break free.

If he could cultivate with his Master in this solemn and sacred sect’s core, it would naturally be extremely pleasurable. Unfortunately, Mu Yinghua was still somewhat reserved, only allowing him to kiss and indulge in some oral pleasure, but not permitting further actions.

At critical moments, Mu Yinghua would always use strong means to bind Qing Muling, preventing him from continuing.

“Enough!”

At the last moment, Mu Yinghua, her beautiful face flushed, lightly scolded, and the surrounding temperature quietly dropped. A powerful force stopped Qing Muling’s actions.

Qing Muling sighed regretfully, reluctantly withdrawing his hand. It seemed this matter could not be rushed and had to be approached gradually.

“Stop fooling around, there’s serious business to discuss this time!”

Mu Yinghua re-fastened her jade belt and tidied her skirt, speaking to him with a seductive look in her eyes and a slightly hoarse voice.

“Can’t we talk while cultivating? Uh…”

Before Qing Muling could finish, his Master, in a mix of shyness and anger, knocked him on the head, finally making him behave.

“Alright, what’s the matter?”

Qing Muling turned around obediently, squeezed into his Master’s arms, and sat on her lap, asking.

Mu Yinghua held him with one hand and picked up a delicate purple-green jade talisman from the table with the other, her expression serious. “It’s a message from the upper realm. The founding ancestor, Qingyao Immortal Venerable, is still alive, and she, along with the disciples who followed her, may return in the near future.”

“The upper realm?”

Qing Muling’s expression froze. He had heard of the upper realm more than once, and the senior sisters of the Origin Star Palace had also returned from there. He hadn’t expected news from the founding ancestor of Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace as well.

The so-called upper realm, in terms of the level of the Dao laws, was not much higher than the Great Void, and there was no absolute hierarchical relationship between the two.

Of course, there were still significant differences between the two realms. The upper realm had not suffered as many great tribulations, so its Dao laws were more complete, the spiritual energy more abundant, and various treasures more plentiful, making it an ideal environment for cultivators, akin to an ancient immortal era.

Such a world naturally produced more top-tier experts, and theoretically, it should be easier to reach the legendary Harmony Saint Supreme realm.

Well, that’s just in theory. Whether it could be achieved was still uncertain.

“Yes, the upper realm!”

Mu Yinghua activated the formation restrictions and said seriously, “The departure of Qingyao Immortal Venerable back then was likely for the same purpose as the master of the Origin Star Palace: to seek the opportunity to become a saint, striving for true immortality and eternal transcendence. Unfortunately, this step is extremely difficult.”

“They have the intention to return, probably because they foresee the revival of the Great Void after the tribulations. If they can seize the initiative in such a great change, control the fortune of this realm, they might gain the capital to reach the Saint Supreme realm and truly take that step!”

Qing Muling was silent for a while and asked, “Is this good news for the sect, or… a disaster?”

He didn’t know the temperament of Qingyao Immortal Venerable, but with Xinyu Emperor around, there should be a more accurate judgment on this matter.

“Well… it’s hard to say!”

Mu Yinghua sighed lightly, “Time is the enemy of all things. They have stayed in the upper realm for such a long time; who knows if they still have the same mindset? If some experiences have drastically changed their temperament, it wouldn’t be surprising.”

“Does the Emperor know?”

“Yes, she knows, and we have discussed it. But she and her junior sisters can’t give a precise judgment. They haven’t contacted each other for so many years, so anything could happen.”

Mu Yinghua’s smile carried a hint of helplessness. For those in power, the least welcome thing was such uncontrollable changes, especially when there was no suitable response for the time being.

Qing Muling silently operated his profound skills, using the Heavenly Secret Art to deduce for a while, but did not sense any obvious danger.

Although his cultivation level was still low, the Harmony Creation Blue Lotus had an extraordinary status, with special advantages in the field of heavenly secrets. In some special cases, his deduction results could be more accurate than those of a Quasi Holy Emperor.

Qing Muling pondered, “No matter how the founding ancestor’s temperament changes, Cloud Dream Heavenly Palace is still her legacy. The current disciples are all her juniors. When she returns, she will need the sect to control the situation and seek dominance over the Great Void. She won’t just wipe us out, right? Even a demonic path ancestor wouldn’t act so irrationally.”

Normal intelligent beings have inherent logic in their actions and generally don’t do meaningless things, especially someone as powerful as Qingyao Immortal Venerable, who, even if not yet a Saint Supreme, would be close to that realm.

“That makes sense,”

Mu Yinghua slightly relaxed, nodding, “In that case, let’s wait and see. Considering the Emperor’s relationship, Qingyao Immortal Venerable won’t make things too difficult for us.”

Qing Muling asked again, “When exactly will they return? Is there a specific time?”

“There’s no exact time,”

Mu Yinghua shook her head, “The time flow between the two realms is different, and it’s extremely difficult to travel between them. Even transmitting messages is troublesome. It might take hundreds or thousands of years for them to return.”

For immortals above the Daluo realm, thousands or tens of thousands of years were insignificant, often passing in a single closed-door cultivation session, so her speculation was reasonable.

Qing Muling smiled, “Then there’s no need to worry. By the time Qingyao Immortal Venerable returns, the sect might have more than one new Quasi Holy Emperor, and I might have reached the Daluo realm. No matter what they plan, the sect’s leadership will still be ours.”

Strength determines the right to speak. As long as Mu Yinghua and Xinyu Emperor’s junior sisters become Quasi Holy Emperors, their status will be vastly different, and there will be no need to fear Qingyao Immortal Venerable’s influence.

“`