Above the Kunlun sky, numerous terrifying anomalies suddenly appeared.
Blood rain fell from the heavens,冥歌 (ming ge) sounded, the underworld was in chaos, the world began to collapse, lightning flashed, auspicious light emerged, and the Dao returned to heaven.
Immortals, cultivators, warriors, and prodigies alike were all terrified.
What had happened in the Heavenly Court!
...
In the forbidden lands.
"Rumble!!!"
Similarly, numerous anomalies suddenly appeared.
Many with weaker cultivation directly perished under Chen Jiuyang's ten thousand years of sacrifice.
Some had their lifespans completely wiped out, others experienced unstable souls, their primordial Dao collapsed, their cultivation regressed, and inner demons were reborn.
"Not good!"
"The Heavenly Court is activating the Book of Life again!"
"Why is the power of this activation so immense? Are those in the Book of Life throwing caution to the wind?"
"We can't hold on!"
"After this, we must go to war with the Heavenly Court, otherwise, we will all perish under the Book of Life!"
"We must fight with our backs against the wall!"
"If we do not fight now, the Heavenly Court will completely seize the qualification to ascend to the Heavenly Realm, and our descendants will forever be slaves to the Heavenly Court, never to rise again!"
In an instant, the major forbidden lands were in a state of panic, with unrest among the populace.
...
And the instigator of it all.
Chen Jiuyang stretched leisurely, then rubbed his waist, sighing, "Consuming over two million years of lifespan at once, why do I feel like a mortal with kidney deficiency?"
"It seems I can't be this reckless in the future, but this time, ten thousand years for each person should be enough for them to handle."
Although Chen Jiuyang currently possessed fifty-three million years of lifespan, losing over two million years at once could not be easily replenished, even with any miraculous elixirs.
However, Chen Jiuyang did not need any immortal medicine now; his laws were complete.
As long as his immortal body was sufficiently strong, he could directly increase his cultivation, gain more lifespan, and break through realms to directly compensate for the loss of lifespan.
"Let's see when they start fighting amongst themselves and truly clash."
"Once they begin their war, I will go into seclusion to continue improving my cultivation and avoid worldly karma."
At this moment, Chen Jiuyang finally experienced the joy of being a puppet master.
Calculating the world, everything fell into his palm; those who offended him would only meet their demise.
Chen Jiuyang stood on the balcony of his villa in Qingzhu Village, gazing at the lush green forests and bamboo groves before him, feeling refreshed and comfortable.
"This feels great..."
"However, I must also join a sect to conceal my destiny."
Chen Jiuyang pondered, for under a collapsing nest, no egg remains intact. Once both sides of the conflict began, many would be forced to choose sides.
At this time, the contingency he had arranged years ago, the Qingyun Sect established by Fang Bahua and Deng Zun, came into use.
The Qingyun Sect had only a handful of members, primarily focusing on alchemy and artifact forging. Moreover, Ziyang County was a remote area, so even if it were affected, it would at most be enslaved by the Qingyun Sect. By joining the Qingyun Sect, Chen Jiuyang could prevent others from probing his destiny.
With a thought, Chen Jiuyang arrived in the main hall of the Qingyun Sect.
Currently, this small sect was rather shabby.
The disciples, from top to bottom, barely numbered a hundred, most of whom had followed Deng Zun in practicing martial arts before.
However, after several years of establishment, the sect had gained some destiny, taking root here.
In the main hall of the Qingyun Sect, only Fang Bahua and Deng Zun, clad in luxurious robes, were meditating cross-legged, absorbing spiritual energy.
The talent of both individuals was average. Even with Chen Jiuyang's resource support from behind, providing them with superior cultivation techniques, their progress was still not rapid.
Fang Bahua was currently at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, while Deng Zun remained at the peak of the Golden Core stage.
For the several years since the Qingyun Sect's establishment, Chen Jiuyang had maintained a distance, never having visited before.
"Master!" Fang Bahua and Deng Zun immediately rose in unison, cupping their fists and bowing to Chen Jiuyang.
Before establishing the Qingyun Sect, both had transitioned from martial arts to immortal cultivation and had taken Chen Jiuyang as their master.
"Mm." Chen Jiuyang nodded slightly and said, "I have come today to join the Qingyun Sect and become its first Supreme Elder, to enjoy the sect's destiny."
Fang Bahua and Deng Zun naturally would not object. They were merely Chen Jiuyang's tools, having established the Qingyun Sect under his instruction.
After a series of procedures, Chen Jiuyang became the Supreme Elder of the Qingyun Sect.
A surge of destiny, invisible to the naked eye, flowed into the Qingyun Sect.
Chen Jiuyang, being a genuine Golden Immortal, was a paramount figure wherever he went.
Fang Bahua and Deng Zun also sensed the changes in the Qingyun Sect through the subtle currents of fate.
Fang Bahua asked, "Master, now that you have joined the Qingyun Sect, are there any major changes about to occur?"
Chen Jiuyang nodded slightly and replied, "Indeed, in the near future, the Heavenly Court will go to war with the forces of the forbidden lands."
"I feared being caught in the conflict, hence my joining the Qingyun Sect today."
"My existence as the Supreme Elder, you must remember not to reveal it to anyone. Only you two need to know."
"Understood, Master." Deng Zun nodded slowly, then asked, "Master, how should our Qingyun Sect conduct itself from now on?"
Chen Jiuyang pondered, "Maintain things as they are."
"I will also be in seclusion in Qingzhu Village from now on."
"I will also have my relatives and friends move to the market town below the Qingyun Sect."
"Other places are not suitable, but I can still protect this small Qingzhu Village and its surroundings."
"You may continue your cultivation."
The war between the Heavenly Court and the forbidden lands would undoubtedly be a world-shattering conflict, needing no further explanation.
The scenes of Immortal Kings and Immortal Emperors clashing were terrifying beyond description.
Following this, Chen Jiuyang also sent messages to his relatives and friends one by one, asking them to move to the Qingyun Sect or join it.
Of course, for individuals like Lian Sheng and Zhou Fangzun, it would be at most moving to the market town.
Chen Jiuyang was considered extremely mysterious by others. His sudden relocation to an unknown place like the Qingyun Sect in Ziyang County would undoubtedly raise suspicions.
Therefore, Chen Jiuyang advised them to move here. Lian Sheng, Zhou Fangzun, Ming Huatong, Chen Biandao, and others did not hesitate and followed his instructions, relocating.
They settled in the market town below the Qingyun Sect.
Many wondered what was so special about such a small place.
"You asked us to move here, but what exactly is going on?" Lian Sheng asked Chen Jiuyang.
Chen Jiuyang remained tight-lipped, "Just stay here peacefully."
The fewer people in this place, the safer it was. Therefore, Chen Jiuyang did not ask the families of Yao Zixuan, Ji Lengyue, and Qiu Yihan to move here.
The current market town of the Qingyun Sect was an ordinary small street, lined with three-story houses, much like a rural village.
It was not far from the urban area of Ziyang County, but the realms of mortals and cultivators/warriors were separate, bordering each other but not interfering.