Nine Heavens Continent, Wuji Sect.

In a span of a few decades, many events have unfolded on this land.

Some sects have risen and fallen...

For instance, the former Star Sea has now faded into history, leaving nothing but ruins, with many buildings already having collapsed into dust.

Some ancient powers have also withered away in this era.

Of course, there are also sects on the rise, with overwhelming momentum, filled with grandeur... Then, those sects brazenly challenge the Wuji Sect.

The outcome is obvious.

Not only that...

Many young talents have come here, all drawn by the legend of Chen Pingping, hence stepping into the Southern Diaspora to challenge Chen Pingping.

The entire Wuji Sect was puzzled.

A few decades really isn't a long time! The past achievements of Chen Pingping, slaying the Demon Emperor and waging war in the Northern Border, remain vivid in memory.

Not only that, Chen Pingping slain a God Grid on the lands of Huangzhou, an earth-shattering battle that intimidated many powerful factions and the geniuses of that era.

For a long time, Wuji Sect has been the hot topic across the Nine Heavens lands.

But now...

A series of strange events keep occurring.

First, the sudden destruction of Star Sea, turning to dust, then some ancient powers inexplicably vanished, and subsequently, many rising sects continuously provoke the Wuji Sect.

Finally, there are challenges from the young talents.

Wen Qingshan stroked his chin, scrutinizing for a long time, concluded: "Chen Pingping's era has passed; his brilliance has dimmed. He is aging, his blood and energy are drying up, his appearance aging, perhaps even with ominous prospects late in life; the biggest reason is that he's slain too many, with vast karmic burdens, unlike me..."

A crowd: "..."

"Though I possess a Void Body, an Ancient Divine Body, standing as a big shot above the firmament, I seldom slaughter, untouched by karmic entanglements, and my divine body is only just beginning..." Wen Qingshan's gaze was ablaze: "Excellent, the era of the Void Body is about to dawn, and now it shall be my turn to rise to the challenge!"

Howl!

The Emperor Spirit beside expressed: "This grandpa has been dormant for so many years, it's time to emerge." Its burly body shook, its majestic appearance displayed a disdain for all beings.

Wen Qingshan glanced askance, rolling his eyes: "The era of my Void Body, what does it have to do with you?"

"Speaking of which, it's been ages since I last made a move." A scholar in white emerged from the mountains...

He had secluded himself for many years, and now, he finally emerged from retreat.

Clad in pristine white, he returned to simplicity, compared to his past self, and his internal aura waves vanished without a trace.

Only those eyes had changed, one black, one white.

Wen Qingshan wiped cold sweat: "Weren't you cultivating Creation? How did you end up practicing the Demon Race's arts?"

The scholar's visage froze, staring at him like looking at an idiot: "Ignorant, this is the ultimate expression of Creation cultivation..." Then, pointed at his left eye: "See it? One is Creation, one is Merit."

Wen Qingshan: "..."

Others: "..." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

The scholar proudly said: "Creation is supreme cultivation, the embodiment of order, one day, I will ascend to Divine Enthronement because of it."

"For now?" Wen Qingshan asked curiously.

Ahem!

The scholar's face reddened, stiffening up as he said: "Can't insist too much, Creation, after all, is a kind of merit-based cultivation; actually, the combat power in the early stages isn't much, but... don't get discouraged, I'll be invincible in later stages, hey... don't walk away! I really will be invincible later."

After all these years of development, the Wuji Sect has become a colossal entity; coupled with Chen Pingping's early fame, it is unknown how many talents it has attracted far and wide.

Now, the upper echelons of the sect number around three thousand, with five thousand disciples, occupying an immensely vast area, having expanded to eight hundred miles.

Looking down from above, this region is densely packed with buildings, among which... there stands a mountain, straight as a sword, entirely pitch-black, situated at the center of the Wuji Sect.

On this mountain, there is a magnificent golden palace.

This is Hongxiu's place of cultivation.

As for the former hinterland, the place teeming with Spiritual Medicine, it has long been hidden by her.

She has laid down many arrays, enshrouded in heavy fog, with only a few qualified to enter, such as Gu Mang...

This alchemy genius has, after decades of painstaking research, finally explored a brand-new path.

Rumble!

Suddenly, a thunderous explosion echoed, with surging aura waves sweeping out like a tsunami.

The entire sect, its disciples, experts, etc. instinctively looked in that direction; in just a moment, they quickly turned away.

It seemed that they're used to it.

Gu Mang failed in alchemy.

A group of young disciples standing outside wiped cold sweat: "The Hall Master failed again."

This new path is called "Transforming Spirit."

As the name implies, refining living beings with Spirit Pills, condensing beings, creating more extraordinary life forms, crafting a powerful army.

Gu Mang's motto is: "The army is secondary, I want to create a whole new race."

When Hongxiu first heard this, her immediate reaction was: "Why not? Try it with Miss Lan?"

Creating a race, isn't it simple!

Just keep giving birth.

One becomes two, two become three, three become a race.

If you dislike this race being too human-like, you can adjust the posture during "creation," or take some Spirit Pills to alter genes inside and so on.

Lan Qingshui blushed and said nothing.

It was Gu Mang who was stunned: "What do you mean?"

Such a naive child cannot be taught.

Hongxiu shook her head, saying no more.

As the master of a sect, in fact, she should stop Gu Mang from such behavior, but... from another perspective, she not only cannot stop it but also must grant him the courage to explore.

Because she knows well that if, one day, Chen Pingping is to battle the Heavens, facing numerous gods, even if they have millions of Spirit Pills, it won't change anything.

At a certain realm, the role of Spirit Pills is minimal.

Only by creating a wholly new path, or devising Spirit Pills surpassing the nine stages, can they progress.

Thus, she cannot stop Gu Mang, even though he is constantly failing.

"That girl is here again." A group of alchemy disciples glanced to the other side.

And the "girl" in their mouths is not Lan Qingshui; it's another lass, reportedly... back when the Hall Master was refining alchemy, she was accidentally created.

Later, she joined Qingfeng's lineage under Chen Pingping, addressing him as "Father."

This might be Gu Mang's only success story.

However?

This so-called success, being some long time ago, is unknown to many, so they remain skeptical.

Later, she named herself Atong.

It startled a group in the sect, as the life entity refined by alchemy developed Spiritual Intelligence to such an extent.

Not only that, she also possesses formidable strength.

"Miss Atong!" Coincidentally, Lan Qingshui also came over, spotting Atong from afar, she smiled and greeted.

Atong tilted her head, calling sweetly: "Sister Lan."

Lan Qingshui smiled and asked: "Missing your father again?"

Each time Gu Mang failed in alchemy, causing disturbances, this girl would come here, quietly watching, without words.

Many might not understand why.

But Lan Qingshui knows, as a fellow woman, her thoughts are meticulous, already having guessed Atong's feelings.

After all, she was created by Gu Mang, watching the mountains could remind her of Chen Pingping.

This feeling is quite peculiar, even Atong doesn't know what's going on, as if she fell ill.

Atong's big eyes sparkled: "Sister Lan, when will my father return?"

Lan Qingshui replied: "He should be back soon, right?"

Atong worriedly said: "I feel something big is about to happen."