Firmament Sword

In a flash, Xu Luo left the world within the Bronze Divine Hall and reappeared in the middle of the Great Marsh.

Glancing at the Bronze Divine Hall resting in his palm, Xu Luo sighed and stored it in his Dantian, where it settled in the center.

The Beidou Sword, meanwhile, hung high above.

"Time to go home," Xu Luo sighed softly, then flew toward the Cangqiong Empire.

Xu Luo clearly remembered that when he had awakened the sealed memories of the Eighth Star and stirred the heavens and earth, he had "seen" the situation in the Cangqiong Imperial Capital.

That same cosmic fortune had also descended upon his friends and family. He just didn't know how they were all doing now.

The closer he drew to the Cangqiong Empire, the more apprehensive he felt, like a long-lost traveler nearing home.

He walked through the void, completely invisible to the mortals below. They would never know that a powerful expert had just passed through the sky above their heads.

Xu Luo entered the Cangqiong Realm through the northern Da Han Empire. At the border, he could still see large numbers of troops stationed there.

He shook his head slightly and gave a small laugh. Memories flooded his mind. Many things felt as if they had happened just yesterday, yet at the same time, it felt like a lifetime ago.

'In the end... I'm not part of their world anymore!'

'I bet with just a single Divine Thought, I could annihilate the entire Da Han Royal Family now, couldn't I?'

Xu Luo laughed at himself. Of course, he would never actually do that.

Names that had nearly sunk into the deepest recesses of his memory began to surface... Wei Ziting, Wei Feng. His first two rivals were long gone from this world.

'Those experts from the major sects, beings I once had to look up to, would now do nothing but tremble before me.'

'The path of cultivation is long and arduous. In the eyes of many, I now stand at the pinnacle of this world, a true top-tier expert!'

But Xu Luo knew very well that even though the Elder Saint had sacrificed his last ten years of life to bestow his power upon him, he was still just a mighty figure at the Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm.

To truly take that next step into the Saint Realm, he needed more than just power.

He also needed enlightenment!

Because his path was the Heart as Proof of Dao!

Without transcending to another major state of mind, taking that step was nearly impossible.

Xu Luo wasn't in a hurry. He knew that he had only just broken through to the Peak of the Fourth Level of Divine Power Realm not long ago. If the Elder Saint hadn't forcefully infused power into his body through direct bestowal, it would have been nearly impossible for him to reach the Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm without at least ten years of effort.

Furthermore, Xu Luo had already decided that he would only begin to comprehend the laws of the Saint Realm on the day he returned to the Ancient Race Continent.

Because that... would be a crucial journey for perfecting his state of mind!

'And I can't forget Qianqian. She's waiting for me to rescue her.'

...

Outside the Cangqiong Imperial Capital, the land was a scene of devastation. The scars left behind by various great battles had yet to fade, and the smell of gunpowder and war still seemed to linger in the air.

The walls of the Imperial Capital, however, were completely unscathed. This was all thanks to the Grand Array set up by Sui Yan!

In the Ancient Era, the peerless tome of the Ancient Emperor Tribe, the *Mechanical Skill*, contained arrays that could even trap those in the Saint Realm, possessing limitless power.

What Sui Yan had unleashed was not even its most powerful aspect!

A truly powerful array was not just for defense... but also possessed attacks that could make one tremble in fear!

Currently, Sui Yan was diligently studying this aspect of the art.

By using Mechanical Skill to achieve his Dao, Sui Yan had stepped into the Divine Power Realm. A cosmic fortune descended from the heavens, allowing him to step directly into the Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm!

He had become a true, peerless expert living in the mortal world!

However, in Sui Yan's mind, Mechanical Skill... was the most important thing in his life. Because of it, he had even forgotten about things like getting married and having children!

Over this matter, Sui Yan's mother had gone to plead with Luo Xinlan many times, hoping Xu Ji could step in, talk to Sui Yan, and convince him to get married.

"No matter what... he has to continue the Sui Family line! Wanli is already gone. I can't let him down. Otherwise, when I'm old and pass on, how will I face Wanli in the afterlife?"

Luo Xinlan felt quite helpless, thinking, 'He's your own son... if you can't even manage him, how are we supposed to?'

Sui Yan's mother had once been a well-bred lady from a prominent family, educated and refined. Especially after her husband died for the country, she was showered with every honor, making her an extremely noble figure.

Countless families also wished to curry favor with the Sui Family, but unfortunately, Sui Yan's obsession with Mechanical Skill had reached a fanatical level.

Now, aside from his sworn brothers Huangfu Chongzhi, Xu Jie, and Liu Feng, most people couldn't even get a chance to see him!

For a mighty figure at the Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm... hiding so that no one could find him was simply too easy!

With just a single thought, he could even wipe a large chunk of a mortal's memory!

Finally, at her wit's end, Sui Yan's mother, the wealthy madam, could only resort to pleading shamelessly with Luo Xinlan. "This whole mess... it's your second son's fault! If he hadn't brought back that blasted *Mechanical Skill* book, my son wouldn't have lost all interest in getting married! So, sister... you have to take responsibility for this!"

Luo Xinlan could only look helplessly at the noble lady before her, who was like a sister to her. "I want to find my second son too... If you can get him to come back, I'll take full responsibility for your son's marriage!"

Luo Xinlan and Sui Yan's mother were far from the only ones who wanted to see Xu Luo.

Phoenix sat on a swing, gently swaying back and forth. A wistful light flickered in her beautiful eyes as she murmured, "It's autumn again... You heartless man, when are you finally coming back?"

The Phoenix of today had also stepped into the Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm. The cosmic fortune had allowed the group of people around Xu Luo to ascend to the heavens in a single step, their power soaring dramatically.

In the beginning, almost none of them could adapt, leading to many amusing incidents.

For example, Little Fatty Liu Feng accidentally collapsed his own house. Xu Su went out for a night of drinking and got a sound beating from his two unbelievably beautiful wives. Xu Jie, who was already on his way to becoming a Forging Grandmaster, shattered a rare metal he had painstakingly acquired with a single hammer strike. And Huangfu Chongzhi, while performing alchemy, lost control of the heat and melted even an Ancient Pill Furnace he had managed to find...

Incidents like these were too numerous to count. During that initial period, almost everyone found it difficult to adapt to their new strength. It got to the point where, under Phoenix's lead, the ferocious group charged straight into the Da Han Empire and completely annihilated the people who had harmed her parents all those years ago.

Now, the most powerful faction on the Central Plains Star Continent was neither the Dubhe Sect nor any of the hidden families, but this group living in the mortal world, known as the "Companion Stars"!

That's right. They were all friends and family of Beidou's Eighth Star, which is why they were called the "Companion Stars"!

Now, no one dared to provoke them!

The experts from the Ancient Race Continent who had besieged the Cangqiong Imperial Capital had long since been scared out of their wits and fled when the cosmic fortune descended.

The few bold ones who refused to give up were hunted down by Xu Su, Huangfu Chongzhi, Xu Jie, and the others who had entered the Ninth Layer of the Divine Power Realm. They were chased until they fled in utter terror, and nearly all of them met violent deaths on the Central Plains Star Continent.

Lianyi appeared in the garden. Looking at Phoenix on the swing, she said softly, "Sister, are you thinking about him?"

Phoenix nodded lightly, the rims of her eyes a little red. "Yes, very much! And I'm worried about him."

"I think... it won't be long before he returns to us," Lianyi said, sitting on the swing next to Phoenix and starting to sway gently.

"Your reason?" Phoenix sounded skeptical. It wasn't that she didn't want to believe it, but that she didn't dare to.

Since Xu Luo left, they had made such predictions too many times, but every single one ended in disappointment. Eventually, none of them made any more guesses.

"He's known as Beidou's Eighth Star. Let's not even talk about the recent cosmic fortune that allowed us to ascend to the heavens. But lately, have you noticed that the seven stars of the Big Dipper are much brighter than before?" Lianyi asked.

"I've noticed that too. They are indeed much brighter than before!" Phoenix nodded.

"Since he is the Eighth Star, then the fact that the seven stars have all brightened proves he's safe right now. If we could receive such a cosmic blessing, shouldn't he have received an even greater one?" Lianyi said, a smile gracing her lips. "Besides... I have a feeling."

"Sister Lianyi's intuition is the sharpest! I also believe we'll see him before long!" A clear, pleasant voice came from outside, and Qiqi walked in with a bright smile on her face.

Since Xu Luo's departure, the three women had never left the Xu Family estate. They had been living there, waiting for his return, all as his fiancées.

A cat... strode in from outside with a calm gait, head held high and chest puffed out. "According to Master Mao's deductions, that brat will be back in less than three days!"

"Tch!" The three women shot Master Mao a collective look of disdain.

After spending so much time together, Master Mao couldn't be more familiar with everyone in the Xu Family.

"Hey, you actually don't believe Master Mao's words! Don't you know that Master Mao has now transformed into a Holy Beast and possesses the ability of foresight?" Master Mao said with his nose in the air. "If you don't believe me, we can make a bet!"

"Bet what?" Phoenix glanced at Master Mao, knowing this fellow was crafty, even more cunning than a person.

"Let's bet... Ahem, never mind. Master Mao will let you off the hook this time. Otherwise, that brat will say I'm bullying you!" Master Mao seemed to sense something and, in the middle of speaking, vanished in a flash.

"That rascal... so abrupt..." Qiqi grumbled.

Phoenix raised an eyebrow slightly, a smile suddenly blossoming on her face. "I, for one, believe him!"

"You have no idea how cunning that cat is!" Qiqi retorted, but then she saw both Phoenix and Lianyi looking behind her. Their smiles were so brilliant they seemed to glow, yet tears were rolling down their cheeks.

Surprised, Qiqi felt a pair of hands wrap around her waist and a strong, powerful body press against her back. She instinctively stiffened. Then, a gentle voice whispered in her ear.

"I'm back."

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