Time seemed to drag on for an eternity, yet it also felt as if only a moment had passed.

Lu Nianjiao gradually regained consciousness, finding herself floating in a vast expanse of white. She then realized that she was merely a Residual Soul, having lost her physical body.

"Have you awakened?" a wizened voice suddenly asked from behind her.

Lu Nianjiao turned to look at the vague, elderly figure. "Who are you?"

"Your Highness, this tribulation has passed. It is time for this old servant to escort you home."

As it spoke, the elderly figure slowly floated forward, raising its right hand to press it against Lu Nianjiao's forehead. Lu Nianjiao immediately felt her soul become incredibly solid. At the same time, she was flooded with a host of memories, both strange and familiar.

"What… what did you do to me?"

"These are your former memories, Your Highness," the elderly figure said. "It is time for us to go home."

Lu Nianjiao fell silent, seemingly organizing the unfamiliar memories.

A moment later, she looked up at the elderly figure. "May I go and bid him farewell?"

The elderly figure gently shook its head. "There is not much time. Your Highness is not of this world. If we do not return promptly, I fear the Heavenly Court will discover your presence."

"Do not worry, Your Highness. Your fate with him is not yet concluded. Once you return to the Celestial Realm, you will one day meet again."

"…"

「Henghai Provincial City.」

Beneath the Construct Wood, Di Xuanji sheathed her sword and retreated, her expression wary as she stared at the man before her. Not only was the man completely shrouded in a black robe, but a dense aura also emanated from him, obscuring his face. The mysterious air he exuded was inexplicably oppressive.

Moreover, he had just caught the Xuanyuan Sword with his bare hands. This feat alone proved the black-robed man's power was far superior to Luo Hao's.

"Who are you?" Di Xuanji asked, breaking the silence.

The black-robed man thought for a moment before replying calmly, "You are not yet qualified to know my name. Just call me the Celestial Being."

With a light wave of his hand, a mysterious aura suddenly spread out.

Di Xuanji's eyes widened in alarm as she immediately raised her sword to defend herself. Propelled by a seemingly endless, relentless force, she was sent flying backward for several hundred meters before she managed to land steadily.

Back at the altar, the Celestial Being turned to face Luo Hao and suddenly slapped him across the face.

Luo Hao gritted his teeth but dared not react. It seemed this Celestial Being inspired a deep sense of caution, even fear, within him. Besides, he knew exactly why the Celestial Being had struck him.

"If you weren't still of some use, I would have let that Empress dismember you for a blood sacrifice," the Celestial Being said coldly.

Luo Hao looked down, remaining silent.

The Celestial Being scoffed, then suddenly reached out and grabbed the Blood Chains on Luo Hao's right hand. With a mere pinch, he shattered them, and the entire length of chains dissipated into energy.

"Heh, you really thought you had it all figured out. You planned to use this Construct Wood to seize his Divine Power and Divine Soul, didn't you? And then use them to turn against us?"

Luo Hao looked up at him and said calmly, "I have nothing more to say about that. I suppose I was just being too clever by half. In the end, I could not escape Your Excellency's discerning eye."

"Take your Creation Green Lotus and get back to the Upper Realm," the Celestial Being said coldly. "Leave the rest to me."

Luo Hao said no more. He turned and flew toward the Construct Wood. A spatial portal materialized, and Luo Hao flew into it, vanishing in an instant.

After watching Luo Hao depart, the Celestial Being turned to Luo Xiu, who was kneeling on the altar, and then glanced up at the blood-red hourglass in the sky.

"At this rate, only a few thousand more people are needed for the blood sacrifice," he murmured to himself. "However, it's about time to begin the refinement process."

As he spoke, he waved his hand, and a Golden Cauldron flew out from within his wide sleeve. The Golden Cauldron expanded rapidly, crashing down onto the altar with a boom.

The Celestial Being then floated over, landing lightly on the altar. With a casual chop of his hand, he severed the nine Blood Chains embedded in Luo Xiu's back. As the chains were cut, Luo Xiu's eyes flew open, and he let out a heart-wrenching, agonizing scream. The pain was like having his bones gouged out while he was still alive.

Listening to Luo Xiu's screams from a distance, Di Xuanji's heart felt as if it were being twisted by knives, the anguish so intense she could hardly breathe.

The Celestial Being, however, remained calm and composed. He softly chanted a spell, and a golden chain immediately shot out from the cauldron, coiling tightly around Luo Xiu's neck like a venomous snake.

But just as the Celestial Being was about to make his next move, a magnificent golden Sword Light tore through the sky, instantly severing the chain. Di Xuanji then landed heavily on the altar, positioning herself between Luo Xiu and the Celestial Being, her gaze fixed resolutely on him.

The Celestial Being glanced at the broken golden chain on the ground. "As expected of an Emperor from the Kunlun Ancient Realm," he remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice. "To think you could sever my Soul-Refining Chain."

Di Xuanji said nothing. Instead, an immense Dragon Qi erupted from her body. A translucent Golden Bell materialized out of thin air, descending from the sky to envelop and protect Luo Xiu.

She didn't know what this Celestial Being's intentions were, but she was certain of one thing… he wanted to harm Luo Xiu!

The Celestial Being chuckled. "Do you realize that in the face of absolute power, everything you are doing is meaningless? With a wave of my hand, I could destroy this entire world."

Hearing this, Di Xuanji gave a slight laugh. "I am not surprised. I am even aware that you are a being whose power I can no longer comprehend, as omnipotent as a god. But to me, so long as something is done, it has meaning!"

"Perhaps you really can annihilate this world with a flick of your wrist. Perhaps we are nothing but ants in your eyes…" As she spoke, she slowly straightened her back, her gaze meeting the Celestial Being's directly—sharp as a sword's edge and filled with unyielding determination. "However, you need to understand one thing… this is Hua Country! This is not a place where you can do as you please, not even if you are a god!"

"Here, there are only the people of Hua Country, who would die fighting before they yield! Even if a god comes, why would we fear to fight!"

With those words, she fiercely plunged the Xuanyuan Sword into the ground, her body erupting with a majestic Dragon Qi.

"Suppress the Heavens and the Earth!"

A brilliant golden light, so bright it seemed tangible, instantly enveloped the entire Henghai Provincial City. The heavens and the earth shook with the deafening roar of a dragon. At the same time, Di Xuanji's body began to fracture, and golden blood oozed from the cracks.

The Celestial Being stared at the Empress before him, his gaze hardening slightly. Enveloped in this golden light, he found himself unable to move.

"Impressive methods, Empress. To think you would use the draconic fortune of an entire nation just to suppress me!"

Di Xuanji threw her head back and let out a long howl. The dragon's roar transformed into a sonic wave that shook the world, and her fracturing body suddenly morphed into a colossal golden dragon, soaring into the heavens.

The Celestial Being looked up at the golden dragon and said with indifference, "This is meaningless. At best, you can only suppress me for a short while."

The golden dragon roared, descending from the sky and crashing toward the Celestial Being with supreme draconic might.

"By my body, I sacrifice my blood!"

"Wielding Xuanyuan, I shall tread upon the Nine Heavens, to suppress and slay all foes!"

"..."

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