However, at this most critical moment—

An unforeseen change occurred!

The originally stable and massive convergence of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi towards the star pool suddenly, without warning, lessened drastically.

It was as if an invisible, incomparably greedy black hole had suddenly inserted itself, forcibly diverting and devouring the portion of Qi supposed to belong to the Star King and the Moon God.

Boom!!!

The steadily rising aura of the Star King and Moon God was abruptly halted, as if struck hard by an invisible giant hammer.

It then became chaotic and their cultivation technique circulation suddenly lost balance.

The violent energy of the liquid star essence lost direction and rampaged within their bodies.

"Puh—!"

"Puh—!"

Almost simultaneously, the Star King and Moon God opened their eyes wide, filled with shock, disbelief, and overwhelming anger.

Two mouthfuls of essence blood containing the origin of Divinity Transformation uncontrollably sprayed out, staining the liquid star essence before them!

Their aura instantly weakened significantly, their faces pale, clearly suffering from substantial backlash.

"Who...is it?!!"

The Star King’s handsome and dignified face twisted completely for the first time, ferocious beyond measure, as the violent intent mixed with the terrifying pressure of the Divinity Transformation Stage swept across the entire forbidden area like a tangible force.

From between his teeth, he squeezed out these two words filled with endless coldness and rage.

Qi and fortune....

Was forcibly seized during their most crucial breakthrough moment.

Leading them to fail just at the brink.

The improvement in cultivation fell far short of expectations, and they suffered backlash!

This would undoubtedly have a huge impact on the subsequent grand plans of the Star Palace.

"Outer sea..."

The Moon God’s voice was equally chilling, looking toward the outer sea with a hard-to-suppress fury in her starry eyes.

A layer of frost covered her stunning face, and the moonlight around her became sharp as a blade.

In their wrath, the Divinity Transformation distorted the colors of heaven and earth.

Terrifying pressure instantly filled the forbidden area, enveloping the entire Star Palace.

Countless disciples of the Star Palace, regardless of cultivation level, felt an overwhelming fear and trembling from the depths of their souls at this moment.

They crumbled to the ground, shivering, not knowing what had happened to incite such rage from the two supreme ones.

"What happened?"

In a remote area of the Star Palace, Hongyi showed a look of surprise, also feeling the wrath of the Divinity Transformation.

Meanwhile, Nine Nether Elder’s eyes flickered, appearing thoughtful.

He barely sensed the gathering of fortune and the breakthrough of Divinity Transformation.

Though his cultivation was still far from recovery, his discernment remained.

By common reasoning, the breakthrough should have proceeded smoothly.

But why were the Star Palace Saints so furious?

Did the breakthrough fail?

Or did unforeseeable variables occur?

...

Blood Bone Island.

Within the underground cave dwelling, Xu Ping was focused complete, mana flowing from his fingertips, attempting to draw an Upper Grade Fourth Rank talisman.

Just as the talisman brush was about to make the most critical stroke—

Buzz!

The eye of the Spiritual Spring, the Profound Celestial Embryo that had always quietly nurtured, only about a foot high, suddenly, without warning, trembled slightly.

Immediately, an indescribable, seemingly containing the truths of the world’s inception and the genesis and extinction of all things, magnificent Dao resonance erupted like a volcano dormant for eons.

This Dao resonance was intangible and formless, yet instantly enveloped the entire underground cave dwelling.

"This is... the Profound Celestial Embryo?!"

Xu Ping froze abruptly, the talisman brush in his hand halting instantaneously, the Upper Grade Fourth Rank talisman light disordered, and with a puff, spontaneously combusted into ashes, its power fluctuation shaking the surroundings, almost flipping the stone table.

But Xu Ping could care less about such things.

All his mental focus was drawn to the suddenly stirring Profound Celestial Embryo.

With a flicker of his body, he was beside the Profound Celestial Embryo.

The vast Dao resonance, seemingly conscious, did not disperse but instead gathered tightly, enveloping Xu Ping completely!

"Uh...."

Xu Ping only felt his Divine Soul quiver violently, seemingly pulled into a warm chaos ocean.

His eyes instantly became dazed and unfocused, losing their focal point, as he completely submerged into this sudden Dao resonance baptism of epic proportions.

His Divine Sense, under the wash and nurture of this vast Dao resonance, started to climb, consolidate, and transcend at visible speeds...

No one knows how much time passed.

Boom!

The bottleneck burst through; his Divine Sense leaped into a whole new realm—the Nascent Soul Perfection Level!

Not only that, his Dao foundation became more stable, and both his physical body and Nascent Soul seemed to be re-tempered, leaving the depth unfathomable.

Furthermore, a mysterious, concerning Qi and fortune, concerning destiny, fundamental change was quietly occurring...

....

There is no sense of time in the cave dwelling, the cold jade knows not the years.

Xu Ping’s spirit was entirely immersed in a deep, profound quietude, as if achieving the most perfect resonance with the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, with the earth vein, and with his own Nascent Soul.

Inside him, the Ten Thousand Woods Evergreen Scripture circulated automatically, a mighty vitality and pure mana surged like a river, yet remained harmoniously free flowing.

No one knows how much time had passed, perhaps a moment, perhaps eternity.

Xu Ping slowly opened his eyes, a rare glimmer of confusion flashing in their depths, as if awakening from a deep dream, not knowing whether it was day or night.

It was several breaths later that his profound, star-like brilliance re-converged, completely waking up. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

Xu Ping’s gaze abruptly focused on the Profound Celestial Embryo.

Only to see that the originally vibrant and life-filled plant had seemingly undergone a rebirth.

A soothing radiant light flowed across its entire body, the natural formation of intricate and unfathomable Dao patterns on the leaves becoming clearer and complex, as if autonomously deducing the truths of the cosmos.