The expansion continued, eventually covering nearly half the planet and still growing.
If one were to approach the center of the light source, they would see a young figure, drifting in and out of the boundless divine radiance.
Boundless Heavenly Emperor laws encircled him, making him appear like a peerless deity.
"Hoo!"
He let out a long breath.
As he stood up, a terrifying power swept across the entire planet.
If viewed from an extreme distance, an astonishing sight would be revealed.
With this person at the center, a wave of energy stirred up endless dust, rumbling and sweeping across the entire planet.
This person was Ling Fan, who had obtained several fragments of Dao artifacts from the abandoned continent in Qi Prefecture.
"These Dao artifact fragments are tens of thousands of times larger than the fragment Lu Jiuwen gave me before. Even though I have now advanced to Heavenly Emperor, the refining speed is still a bit slow..."
Ling Fan had spent a full month here.
Yet, he hadn't even refined a small half of a Dao artifact fragment.
However, despite refining only this much, the benefits were quite considerable.
His cultivation was now completely stabilized at the seventh-tier Heavenly Emperor, and he was almost at the peak of the seventh-tier Heavenly Emperor. Furthermore, the Supreme Ancestral Dragon Seal within his body, after absorbing those Dao artifact-level dragon seal fragments, had further strengthened his physical body. It was estimated that he could now stand there and withstand attacks from an eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor without his body being broken.
Now, only cultivators above the ninth-tier Heavenly Emperor could pose a threat to him.
"The three-month deadline is approaching."
Ling Fan calculated with his fingers.
It had been nearly three months since he came out this time.
"The remaining Dao artifact fragments will be placed in the Supreme Ancestral Dragon Seal for slow refining. It's time to find Gao Gan."
As Ling Fan stood up.
The extraterrestrial star, tens of thousands of miles in diameter, suddenly sank.
It seemed as if it could not bear Ling Fan's weight!
...
Jinzhou.
Qing Xuan Sect.
The originally peaceful atmosphere.
Was suddenly shattered.
Waves of terrifying auras approached the mountain gate of Qing Xuan Sect like a raging tide.
Immediately, the powerful cultivators of Qing Xuan Sect thought they were under enemy attack.
A series of powerful auras erupted.
Figures appeared in the sky.
But the next moment.
The imposing aura of everyone subsided.
A strong cultivator from the Gao family exclaimed, "It's not an enemy attack, it's Vice Sect Master Gao Gan returning!"
A grand carriage pulled by six dragons rumbled from the horizon.
The carriage bore a distinct Gao family insignia.
And surrounding the carriage were powerful cultivators from the Tian Yi Sect, escorting Gao Gan's carriage, which soon landed within Qing Xuan Sect.
"Wow, people from Tian Yi Sect personally escorting Vice Sect Master Gao Gan back, what an honor!"
"It seems Vice Sect Master Gao Gan has gained the full recognition of Tian Yi Sect!"
"Tsk tsk, Vice Sect Master Gao Gan is already a peerless genius among geniuses, and now he is marrying the Heavenly Maiden of Tian Yi Sect and receiving the strong support of Tian Yi Sect. It seems Vice Sect Master Gao Gan's succession to the position of Sect Master Supreme is a certainty!"
"Huh, look, Vice Sect Master Gao Gan's cultivation seems to have improved again! Before, Vice Sect Master Gao Gan gave me the feeling of a peak, but now I can't even see the end."
As Gao Gan stepped down from the carriage.
A series of powerful divine senses exclaimed.
"Gao Gan seems to have advanced to the eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor... Such a young eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor is truly rare in the world, a formidable successor."
"He must have cultivated within that quasi-Dao artifact that entered the Tian Yi Sect. The flow of time and space inside is completely different from the outside. Although Gao Gan has only been gone for one or two months, he might have actually cultivated for decades, or even centuries, within that quasi-Dao artifact. With his talent, becoming an eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor is not surprising."
"What is most astonishing are the implications of this matter and the attitude of Tian Yi Sect. It seems Tian Yi Sect is completely standing behind Gao Gan."
From the depths of Qing Xuan Sect, Heavenly Emperor-level divine senses were issued.
As Gao Gan returned to Qing Xuan Sect in such a grand fashion.
These divine senses gradually subsided.
Not long after Gao Gan's return.
Two figures, as majestic as heavenly suns, also returned to Qing Xuan Sect.
They were Lu Jiuwen and Gao Sangui, the ninth-tier Heavenly Emperor from the Gao family, who had returned from that abandoned extraterrestrial continent in Qi Prefecture.
"Nephew, there were some mishaps on this trip, and I am ashamed that I couldn't help you seize a Dao artifact fragment," Gao Sangui said, shaking his head.
Gao Gan replied, "Uncle Sangui, there's no need to say that. Your willingness to act for me is the greatest care for your nephew. As for Dao artifact fragments, I don't care. I have already cultivated to the eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor using the quasi-Dao artifact of Tian Yi Sect. Dao artifact fragments are dispensable to me at present."
"Even so, Uncle still feels uneasy! Hmph, it's all your fault, Lu Jiuwen, you useless piece of trash. You're the Sect Master of Qing Xuan Sect, yet you can't even win against a young girl from Qi Prefecture. What use are you?"
Gao Sangui unleashed his anger on Lu Jiuwen.
Lu Jiuwen bowed his head and smiled obsequiously, not daring to retort.
"Hahahaha!"
Many powerful cultivators from the Gao family present couldn't help but chuckle, their expressions becoming even more arrogant.
This was the status of their Gao family in Qing Xuan Sect!
They could reprimand the Sect Master as if he were their son.
"Alright, Third Brother, give our Sect Master some face,"
Gao Yilong, Gao Gan's father and the Supreme Elder of Qing Xuan Sect, said.
"Be more clever next time! If I find out you're not putting in your full effort, I won't let you off," Gao Sangui said, still not appeased, and shot Lu Jiuwen another fierce glare.
Gao Yilong continued, "Prepare a celebration banquet for Gan'er. Advancing to the eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor is no small matter. We should send out invitations widely and invite the powerful figures of Jinzhou to enhance the prestige of the Gao family and Qing Xuan Sect."
"Where is that madman named Fan Lin! Didn't he say he would challenge our Vice Sect Master Gao Gan within three months? Now that three months have passed, why isn't he here to die!"
Gao Yun, Gao Ya, Gao Chun, and other young generation powerhouses from the Gao family shouted.
"That's right, I almost forgot. Where is that Fan Lin! Could he have hidden somewhere like a turtle?"
"Heh heh, he's probably scared out of his wits by now."
"What is he, to be worthy of challenging our cousin Gao Gan? Cousin Gao Gan is now an eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor, while that kid is still only a fifth-tier Profound Emperor. Even if he can contend with a sixth-tier Profound Emperor, he's nothing compared to our cousin Gao Gan!"
"Hahahaha!"
Just as everyone was waiting for Ling Fan to step out and challenge Gao Gan.
Ling Fan never appeared.
Lu Jiuwen pondered thoughtfully.
He looked up in the direction of the heavens.
Soon.
Time passed.
It was the day of Gao Gan's eighth-tier Heavenly Emperor promotion celebration banquet.
On this day.
Qing Xuan Sect was extremely lively.
It had become the focal point of the entire Jinzhou.
And Gao Gan was the center of attention.
Under the Gao family's tireless arrangements.
The entire Qing Xuan Sect was like a fairyland.
Flowers rained down everywhere, and the Great Dao manifested.
Tables of banquets were laid out amidst the beautiful scenery.
As the invited prominent figures of Jinzhou took their seats.
The atmosphere of the celebration banquet was pushed to a climax.
"Night Demon Mountain, Jinzhou, Deputy Mountain Master presents a top-grade Emperor Pill, one Heavenly Vein, and one incomplete Dao scripture, to congratulate the Gao family's prodigy, Gao Gan!"
"逍遥宗, Jinzhou, Supreme Elder presents a piece of extraterrestrial divine gold, ten supreme imperial medicines, to congratulate Emperor Gao Gan!"
"Spiritual Sea Sect, Jinzhou..."
"Jinzhou..."
Finally, when the cultivators of Tian Yi Sect arrived as the grand finale.
The joyous atmosphere within Qing Xuan Sect was instantly pushed to an extreme.
"Tian Yi Sect, Heavenly Maiden Yan Xi, accompanied by the Four Great Elders of Tian Yi Sect, congratulates Qing Xuan Sect."
A high-pitched announcement sounded.
Yan Xi, like a fairy descending from the Moon Palace, stepped forward, her every step a lotus bloom.
Gao Yilong narrowed his eyes slightly.
Because he heard the words "congratulates Qing Xuan Sect."
He felt a sense of unease.
Even major sects like Night Demon Mountain, Spiritual Sea Sect, and 逍遥宗 unabashedly congratulated the Gao family and Gao Gan, but why did their ally by marriage, Tian Yi Sect, specifically say "congratulates Qing Xuan Sect"?
What was the meaning of this!
But Gao Yilong had no time to ponder further.