Dawn broke. The ink-dark night receded from the sky above Hazy Moon Divine Mountain, and the first light of morning spilled across the world.

Hu—

A vast, mournful bugle call echoed from the distant horizon. Moments later, streaks of dazzling light, like a cascade of falling stars, roared toward the mountain from every direction. Having waited the entire night, Lin Xun instantly understood the meaning of such a scene.

“So, the Ninth Heaven Domain isn’t planning on sending anyone...”

Lin Xun picked up the wine gourd and took a quiet sip, his expression calm and unhurried. He didn’t rush into taking action.

The Donghuang Clan had clearly thrown all its strength into their defenses. Lin Xun was quite interested to see just how many forces this already-crippled clan could still muster.

One after another, the incoming cultivators vanished into the depths of Hazy Moon Divine Mountain.

Inside the ancestral hall.

“Patriarch, eighteen vassal forces under our clan have arrived with their Transcendence Realm elites. In total there are thirty-one initial Transcendence experts, fifteen intermediate Transcendence experts, and four advanced Transcendence experts! They have all been settled and are awaiting orders”

Donghuang Jiuhui nodded. “Good. Have them rest and conserve their strength. When the battle breaks out, they are to coordinate with us and act accordingly.”

“Understood!”

The messenger bowed and withdrew.

“Fellow Daoist, have you determined how many people the Origin Sect has deployed this time?” someone asked from within the hall.

At this moment, the ancestral hall was filled with old monsters from the nine immortal giants, and nineteen were at the pinnacle of the Transcendence Stage!

“We still don’t know.” Donghuang Jiuhui shook his head. “According to the final messages left by our Thirteenth Elder before his death, Lin Xun appears to be acting alone this time.”

A ripple of shock swept across the hall.

“If it really is just Lin Xun, he won’t be much of a threat. We only need to be wary of the Eternal Will Dharma Form he might hold.” Clad in ancient robes and adorned with a tall hat, Wang Daochuan exuded immortal elegance. He spoke slowly, deep in thought, “What we fear most is repeating the disaster of the Sixth Heaven Domain.”

The atmosphere tightened. Even after several years, the memory of that catastrophe still chilled their hearts.

Lin Xun had appeared alone back then as well. Despite that, the two waves of elite forces sent by the Ten Clans Alliance were annihilated without exception. From that, they concluded that a terrifying powerhouse from the Origin Sect must have intervened.

After all, how could Lin Xun have accomplished such a feat alone? In truth, they knew nothing about what had happened in the Sixth Heaven Domain, let alone the actual circumstances of the unprecedented battle at the Origin Sect’s Thousand Stars Sea just a few days ago.

The reason was simple: the forces of the Ten Clans Alliance, the Shaman Sect, the Zen Sect, and even the Ninth Heaven Domain had all been wiped out. Not a single message had made it back.

As a result, all they could do was speculate about the details of the battle. Speculation often strayed far from the truth.

For example, although these old monsters were wary of Lin Xun’s strength and understood the terror of his Eternal Supremacy Path, they had no idea that he could now slay Eternal Will Dharma Forms with his own power alone...

Thus, at this very moment, when speaking of Lin Xun, who had appeared in the Eighth Heaven Domain and was highly likely coming to the Donghuang Clan for revenge, they instinctively refused to believe he had come alone. They subconsciously assumed that Origin Sect powerhouses must be accompanying him!

“The most urgent task is to determine Lin Xun’s whereabouts as well as the forces the Origin Sect may have sent with him as soon as possible. Only by knowing ourselves and our enemy can we remain undefeated,” Wang Fuping said in a low, steady voice.

The others nodded in agreement.

Donghuang Jiuhui fell silent for a moment before speaking, “Last night, we lost contact with our clan’s Thirteenth Elder. If my guess is correct...Lin Xun has already arrived.”

A chill tightened the hearts of everyone present.

However, Donghuang Jiuhui suddenly laughed, “To be honest, I’m actually hoping that brat shows up sooner rather than later. At least then we won’t be wasting our time sitting here feeling uneasy.”

A few chuckles rose from the hall.

......

“Lin Xun, Deputy Pavilion Master of the Origin Sect, has stormed into the Eighth Heaven Domain!”

This explosive news spread across the Eighth Heaven Domain at astonishing speed, shaking the world and leaving countless cultivators stunned. Instantly, Hazy Moon Divine Mountain, a territory of the Donghuang Clan, became the focus of attention across the entire domain.

“Back then, the Ten Clans Alliance suffered a disastrous defeat in the Sixth Heaven Domain and was nearly annihilated, leaving the Ten Immortal Giants severely weakened and their very foundations shaken. And now, Lin Xun actually dares to charge into the Eighth Heaven Domain. Is he planning to wipe out the Ten Immortal Giants completely?”

“I’ve heard Lin Xun is a descendant of the Omega Lord. And that Omega Lord died under the siege of the Ten Immortal Giants back then. Lin Xun coming here this time is most likely for revenge!”

“He dares to strike against the Ten Immortal Giants all by himself?”

“Wrong. He’s a deputy pavilion master of the Origin Sect. If he dares to come to the Eighth Heaven Domain for revenge, it can only mean the Origin Sect is backing him!”

“The world really is about to fall into chaos. Just a short while ago, the Shaman Sect and Zen Sect suffered a crushing defeat outside the Origin Sect’s mountain gates. And now, in less than a month, Lin Xun has charged into the Eighth Heaven Domain. Another blood-soaked storm is about to erupt...”

The entire world was in upheaval. Lin Xun’s sudden appearance seized the attention of the entire Eighth Heaven Domain. From every direction, cultivators surged toward Hazy Moon Divine Mountain, desperate to learn the news the instant it emerged.

Lin Xun!

For the past century, no name had shaken the world more than his. Especially in recent years, the entire world had been overshadowed by his brilliance. He rose with astonishing speed, becoming a deputy pavilion master of the Origin Sect. He walked the legendary Eternal Supremacy Path. In the Ten Directions Demon Realm, he slaughtered countless peerless figures, and in the Sixth Heaven Domain, he shattered the encirclement of the Ten Clans Alliance...

Any one of these feats would have been enough to make someone else famous throughout the world. However, all of them belonged to him alone. He was a legend forged through battle and slaughter, the youngest and most dazzling Transcendence Realm powerhouse in the world!

With someone like him appearing in the Eighth Heaven Domain, who wouldn’t be shaken?

Time passed swiftly. In just a few days, countless cultivators from across the surrounding region had gathered around Hazy Moon Divine Mountain after hearing the news.

However, to everyone’s surprise, Lin Xun never appeared. Even Donghuang Jiuhui and the others grew restless.

Lin Xun’s appearance had driven them to mobilize every ounce of strength, gathering all their forces on Hazy Moon Divine Mountain. As time dragged on and Lin Xun still failed to show himself, it felt as if a blade was hanging over their heads and they never knew when it might fall. The wait became torture.

“Looks like Lin Xun chickened out!”

Outside, discussions erupted.

“He must’ve realized his movements were exposed, and that Hazy Moon Divine Mountain is crawling with deadly killing intent! Think about it. How could the Donghuang Clan possibly be unprepared? If I were him, I wouldn’t dare show up either.”

“That sounds about right.”

Many people nodded in agreement. It wasn’t that these onlookers doubted Lin Xun’s strength. However, the Donghuang Clan had stood entrenched in the Eighth Heaven Domain for countless years and their prestige had carved deep into people’s hearts. How could such an Immortal Giant be shaken so easily?

“Everyone, it seems we’ve made a wasted trip. Lin Xun clearly realized the situation isn’t in his favor and has already run off.” Not far away, an old man shook his head and sighed.

“Grandfather, is this the legendary figure you always talk about? Honestly, he seems like nothing but a coward.” A young girl pouted, clearly disappointed.

“Watch your tongue!” The man beside her scolded sharply. “Even if Senior Lin Xun doesn’t show himself today, we are in no position to slander him.”

The girl shrank back, murmuring, “But...but it’s just disappointing...I thought he was amazing...”

She turned toward a young man sitting nearby, quietly drinking.

“Hey, what do you think?” she asked.

Ever since they had arrived, she noticed that he kept drinking leisurely, smiling whenever she spoke to him, as if he had no temper at all.

“Hm, what do I think?” He looked surprised.

The girl clicked her tongue. “Didn’t you come here to watch the battle too? Aren’t you disappointed that Lin Xun hasn’t shown up?”

The young man rose with a smile, tucked away his wine gourd, and said, “Little girl, take my advice, leave this place quickly. Battles...are never good to watch.”

With that, he strode off into the distance.

The girl muttered angrily, “How old are you to be lecturing me like that? Hey...wait! Where are you going?”

Her eyes widened in shock and worry as she saw him heading straight toward Hazy Moon Divine Mountain. “Hey! That’s Donghuang Clan’s territory. If you get too close, they’ll chase you away!”

The young man waved without turning back. “Thanks for the warning. But I came here to find the Donghuang Clan. And now...it’s almost time.”

The girl frowned. “What’s with him? He’s so weird. I don’t know what he's saying.”

However, her grandfather suddenly stiffened. Seeing that lone figure approach Hazy Moon Divine Mountain, his expression abruptly changed. “Could it be...him?!”

At the same time, countless gazes in the surrounding area also fell on the young man’s figure, and many couldn’t help showing expressions of shock and disbelief.

Could that man be...?

The conversations around them abruptly died off as gazes were drawn to that tall, imposing figure. Because the area around Hazy Moon Divine Mountain was barren and desolate, and because the spectators had all kept their distance, that solitary silhouette seemed all the more striking as it walked step by step toward the mountain.

“Grandfather, do you know him?” the girl whispered.

Just then, in her line of sight, the young man who had been smiling a moment ago suddenly stepped into the air, rising skyward with his hands clasped behind his back. Gazing from afar at Hazy Moon Divine Mountain, he spoke calmly, “Where are the members of the Donghuang Clan?”

It was only a single voice, yet it shattered the stillness of heaven and earth like a thunderclap, echoing across the nine heavens. The surrounding cultivators trembled inwardly. It really is him!

“He...could he be...” The girl’s beautiful eyes flew wide open, her face filled with shock. “Lin Xun?!”