There were only nine floating islands in the fifth layer, and Bai Han had arranged the Law Realm here, with the Transformation Power of this layer being several times stronger than the forty-nine islands of the fourth layer.
When Palace Master Ji Xia and Zhao Xing landed on the edge of Crescent Island, they immediately felt the pressure.
"Chh, chh, chh~" The black soil of Crescent Island began to crystallize on a large scale, then shattered and turned into gravel. A layer of ground suddenly disappeared, turning into gas and rising, merging with the clouds.
"Kacha, kacha~" Zhao Xing had originally used the Heart Dragon Transformation, but now, even his crystal scales were showing cracks.
Even though he covered them with a layer of blue flowers, the consumption of magical power was enormous. If he continued in the form of the Mind Dragon Emperor, he could only last for a few more days.
As for his Primordial Avatar? The Transformation Power affected the entire floating island, not just living beings. Non-living things were also pressured, and only the ten strongest avatars could withstand it. The others, once released from ordinary storage rings, would immediately crack.
"Sentence Dragon Transformation!" Zhao Xing immediately switched forms, casting Group Dragon Transformation, and his dragon scales flipped and changed like flowing water, turning into earth yellow.
His body rapidly shrank, with the scales becoming more tightly packed, and a faint blue light covered them. A bead appeared on his forehead.
The Sentence Dragon was known for defense, a passive defense that made even every inch of his blood and flesh inside his body incredibly tough and his body structure extremely stable. After switching forms, he immediately stopped being affected by the Transformation Power of the fifth layer.
"Hmm? What kind of race is this?" Palace Master Ji Xia observed Zhao Xing's transformation with interest. "The fusion of both Earth and Wood Dao sources into the body... He can resist the fifth layer's Transformation Power without the need for extra talents."
Palace Master Ji Xia still remained in his Moon Spirit Cat form, but now he had ignited a layer of flames to resist the fifth layer's Transformation Power, unable to rely solely on his body to resist.
"We are the Dragon Race of the Great Zhou," Zhao Xing explained.
"Dragon Race?" Palace Master Ji Xia nodded slightly. "If I go out this time, I'll have to visit your homeland's dynasty."
"If the Palace Master visits, I will certainly be here to welcome you," Zhao Xing replied with a smile.
The two adjusted themselves and quickly adapted to the fifth layer's Transformation Power environment.
Palace Master Ji Xia spoke up: "The Transformation Power on Crescent Island has a total of five layers. It mainly utilizes the two Dao sources of Water and Fire. There are double layers of Fire transformation, double layers of Water transformation, and one random transformation."
"Excluding that unknown and random fifth transformation, using my Ten Thousand Spirits Transformation Law, I should be able to last about seven years on this island."
"If we fight, the duration will be much shorter."
He was giving Zhao Xing a heads-up. Since they were traveling together, it was important to have a general understanding of each other's strength.
Zhao Xing's Transformation Power, though endlessly variable, was still rooted in the Ten Thousand Spirits Transformation Law of the Four Seasons Palace, with many different templates.
Demon Ape Transformation, Divine Feather Transformation, Rock God Transformation, Group Dragon Transformation… all were derived from the changes in the cosmic Four Seasons' Dao and celestial timing.
The advantage of his transformations was that when reverting, it was easy and fast. As long as the body's Five Elements and Four Seasons Qi positions were corrected, he could quickly switch back without injury.
Palace Master Ji Xia had originally thought Zhao Xing would not last as long as himself, but Zhao Xing's answer exceeded his expectations:
"Without fighting, I should be able to maintain the Transformation Power in the fifth layer for about thirty years."
"Thirty years?" Palace Master Ji Xia was stunned. That was more than four times his own limit!
In fact, Zhao Xing was being modest. He hadn't counted the enhancements from the blue flower and crimson lotus powers. If he wasn't fighting, he could use the alternating cycles of these two powers to maintain the Transformation Power for three hundred years on the fifth layer's floating island. It would only be after three hundred years that his magical power would be exhausted.
In terms of cultivation, Zhao Xing, who had comprehended over one hundred thousand Life Dao Diagrams in the lower four layers, had already surpassed Palace Master Ji Xia.
Of course, Palace Master Ji Xia wasn't the most skilled in Transformation Power in the Four Seasons Palace—that would likely be Palace Master Wan Ling.
"Whoosh, whoosh~"
While they were talking, a dragon and a cat quickly traveled across mountains and ridges, reaching the edge of the core area of the floating island.
They kept their flight altitude low because the clouds above were shifting constantly with wind, rain, lightning, and seasonal changes. The higher they went, the stronger the Transformation Power pressure became.
"It looks like it's here." Moon Spirit Cat suddenly stopped at a hill, its fluffy head turning in all directions.
"It seems there's an abnormal fluctuation, different from the current transformation laws, but it's very weak."
Zhao Xing also felt it. The emergence of ancient magic tools could interfere with the fifth layer's floating island Transformation Power.
However, sensing this faint anomaly in the midst of the intense Transformation Power of the fifth layer wasn't easy.
The Transformation Power on the fifth layer's floating island was now comparable to the late Emperor level. Anyone coming up was essentially always in combat with a late Emperor level opponent.
In such high-intensity combat, trying to detect that faint anomaly was difficult, and even Palace Master Ji Xia wasn't sure.
Zhao Xing closed his eyes and felt it for a moment, then said: "Please, Palace Master, help me resist the Transformation Power for a moment."
"Alright." Moon Spirit Cat waved its paw, and a moonbeam fell, with the spring breeze gently blowing. The rotating light surrounded Zhao Xing's dragon form.
Zhao Xing immediately switched to his Mind Dragon Emperor form, and his mental power spread across the entire floating island.
The Transformation Power fluctuations across the island became like a boiling sea, and beneath the surface of the sea, a light spot emitted waves that continued to spread.
"There!" Zhao Xing pointed to a green energy barrier in the southern part of the island, less than ten thousand li away from them.
"Let's go!"
The dragon and the cat quickly charged into the poisonous mist.
The poisonous swamp was created by the fluctuations of the Transformation Power, mixing the air of life from the floating island with toxic energy.
Upon entering the toxic barrier, Zhao Xing and Palace Master Ji Xia slowed down because they had to resist the toxic invasion, much like the first trial with the medicinal rainwater.
After half a day of progress, Palace Master Ji Xia became excited.
"I found it!"
Even without Zhao Xing's guidance, Palace Master Ji Xia discovered the ancient magic tool's presence, as golden light broke through the mist, and the outline of the artifact was visible to the naked eye!
"Meow!" Palace Master Ji Xia excitedly tried to rush forward, but Zhao Xing stopped him with his dragon claw. "Palace Master, there are other experts around. Don't act rashly."
Through Zhao Xing's mental perception, eight figures appeared in the golden mist, and their positions were closer to them.
It seemed that there were still others lying in wait further away, planning to take advantage of the situation.
"Zhao Xing, who's there?" Palace Master Ji Xia asked.
"I don't know," Zhao Xing replied. He activated Mind Guard, allowing Palace Master Ji Xia to share his mental vision.
"I recognize two of them." After gaining the vision, Palace Master Ji Xia immediately saw clearly the eight figures in the mist. "It's Juan and Bo Qiu in there... We're a step too late."
The golden light emerging from the poisonous mist came from a small bronze cauldron. It had cleared part of the toxic area, making the vision more open.
However, around the bronze cauldron, there were eight beings.
Juan Carlos from the Carlos Family, Bo Qiu, the Jiao Yuan Snake, and six others who were unfamiliar but seemed to be traveling together, all radiating the fluctuation of late Emperor stage strength.
The three groups seemed to have arrived at the same time. In the face of the bronze cauldron, none of them dared to act hastily and snatch it first.
"It seems we won't have a chance to get the artifact," Palace Master Ji Xia shook his head.
Although Bo Qiu was at the late Emperor stage, his talent was extraordinary, and his Mind Abyss could be considered a peak Emperor ability.
The six late Emperor stage individuals formed a well-coordinated team with formidable strength.
Juan Carlos was a peak Emperor stage martial artist, and with just his body, he could ignore the fifth layer's Transformation Power and the toxic mist. He was one of the strongest of the four, having lived in the fifth layer for a long time.
Palace Master Ji Xia was also only at the late Emperor stage, and Zhao Xing would have no chance against these people.
Even though some of them were from the Empire, when benefits were at stake, who cared about factions? If they fought, they would probably die faster.
"Yeah, no hope," Zhao Xing said.
But despite what they said, neither of them left immediately.
Not taking action to snatch the item was one thing, but keeping a safe distance and observing was still possible.
What if there was an opportunity? After all, this artifact was stronger than the premium reincarnation Dao weapon; who wouldn't want it?
"Juan! You already have three artifacts!" Bo Qiu, still cloaked in black robes, glared at Juan. "You're a Qi Sect martial artist. Why continue to fight for these foreign items? You should let me have it, and I'll owe you a favor."
Juan, with a crew cut, was dressed in plain hemp clothes, looking harmless. Yet, he was someone no one dared to provoke.
Hearing Bo Qiu's words, Juan casually glanced at him. "You're not even human, so how could you owe a favor? I don't lack anything, but I won't let it go."
"You!" Bo Qiu immediately grew angry. Of everyone present, only Juan could see through his true form.
And that was why Bo Qiu was so cautious and didn't dare to take the initiative to snatch the artifact.
"Brother Juan," said one of the six people to the south of the cauldron. It was an Emperor stage healer who spoke. "I am Zhong Qi from the Tai Su Palace. Since you don't lack anything, we're willing to offer one million Xuanling Ancient Coins to ask the senior to step down from the fight. Afterward, we'll give you 500,000 Xuanling Ancient Coins."
"Tai Su Palace is a top-tier medical force with quite a reputation. Offering such a high price shows that this is a top-tier artifact," Palace Master Ji Xia said, his excitement growing.
Premium reincarnation Dao weapons rarely sold for over a million Xuanling Ancient Coins, but since Zhong Qi from the Tai Su Palace was willing to offer so much, it was clear he recognized the value of the bronze cauldron.
"Could this artifact be the one I've seen before?" Zhao Xing's gaze pierced through the mist, trying to see more clearly.
In his previous life, Ancient Hill had hosted an auction where some ancient cultivation artifacts were sold. Zhao Xing hadn't been at a high level back then, but he still went to check them out.
This bronze cauldron looked very similar to one he had seen before.
"Transform!"
Zhao Xing switched forms again, turning into a Dragon Emperor with thousand-eyed compound eyes, finally seeing through the layers of mist and barriers to clearly discern the appearance of the bronze cauldron.
Inside the cauldron, there was a faint, pure yellow gas.
"It really is it, the Two Rituals Cauldron that cultivates the primordial Mother Qi of heaven and earth!"
Zhao Xing immediately understood its value.
Bai Han, as a semi-god from the Heavenly Timing School, was skilled in Transformation Power and adept at using it to harvest the essence of heaven and earth.
At its core, the Heavenly Timing School was about farming, and Bai Han, as a semi-god Shennong on a cross-domain ship, was someone who also cultivated.
The bronze cauldron itself was not important, but the primordial Mother Qi inside was incredibly precious!
It was the essence formed from countless years of the six Qi of heaven and earth, enough to cause a massive transformation in a true soul. The Dao realm could also be elevated to the next level.
The key was that absorbing it could help skip a True Soul Tribulation!
If Bo Qiu, who had already passed three True Soul Tribulations, absorbed it, it would be as if he had passed the fourth True Soul Tribulation, making his talent and secret techniques even more complete.
Seeing this, Zhao Xing was also tempted.
At this moment, the Two Rituals Cauldron inside held more Mother Qi of heaven and earth than Zhao Xing had seen at the auction, at least three portions!
It was enough for him and Palace Master Ji Xia to take a risk.
"Palace Master Ji Xia, let's make a move!" Zhao Xing said.
"Huh? Zhao Xing, this isn't a joke..." Palace Master Ji Xia hesitated.
"There are three portions of Mother Qi of heaven and earth in the cauldron."
"What? How can you be sure...?"
"I'm sure, Senior Gu Luohe once..."
As a late-stage Emperor from the Heavenly Timing School, Palace Master Ji Xia immediately recognized what was inside the cauldron. His eyes widened in excitement.
"Alright, if Juan really steps down, I'll go for it!"
Juan Carlos was a peak Emperor stage martial artist who had successfully passed five True Soul Tribulations.
The others, including Palace Master Ji Xia, had only passed three True Soul Tribulations.
Zhong Qi had also passed the fourth True Soul Tribulation, making him a peak Emperor stage, but he was a healer and his fighting power was not as strong as Bo Qiu, a three-tribulation Emperor with powerful talent.
If Juan stepped down, Zhao Xing and Palace Master Ji Xia would have a chance to compete for the artifact.
"Whoosh~"
A ring flew toward Juan. He glanced at it and nodded. "Fine, Zhong Qi, I'll do you a favor."
With that, Juan shot straight into the sky, actually leaving Crescent Island.
"He really left? Why aren't the people from Tai Su Palace asking Juan to deal with Bo Qiu? Could this be a trap?" Zhao Xing was feeling a bit paranoid.
"To ask Juan to act, they couldn't afford to pay for his help. Selling a favor? Zhong Qi doesn't have that much face," Palace Master Ji Xia said with excitement.
"Zhao Xing, go and hold back Bo Qiu, I'll go grab the cauldron!"
They didn't have time to think further, and both immediately sprang into action.
"Boom~~"
As they watched Juan retreat, Bo Qiu exploded out of his robes, revealing his true form, and activated Mind Abyss, enveloping Zhong Qi and the other five Emperor Stage experts.
The six-person team, which had been closer due to the trade with Juan, froze in place for a moment, while Bo Qiu, the Jiao Yuan Snake, exhaled a breath of black mist, sweeping toward the Two Rituals Cauldron.
"Spirit Awakening Needle!"
From Zhong Qi's pouch, six golden needles flew out, stabbing into the heads of himself and his teammates.
The influence of Mind Abyss was immediately weakened by more than half.
"Sword World!"
"Five Flowers Severing the World!"
One of the team's Mechanist and one of the Sword Dao martial artists attacked.
The Sword World enveloped Bo Qiu, while the Mechanist tossed five long-spiked Dao Soldiers, shaped like chrysanthemums, surrounding the bronze cauldron.
The five spatial Dao Soldiers immediately blocked the black mist, causing the space to twist and overlap as if it were wrapped up.
Bo Qiu, who had moved hundreds of thousands of miles, was now stuck in place.
"Dammit!"
Bo Qiu was furious. Ever since revealing his true form, he felt targeted—these people had clearly prepared for him.
"Great, great, great!" Bo Qiu's snake body began to expand, more of it emerging from the Mind Abyss. His body coiled, and his eyes turned completely black.
He focused his mental strength on attacking the Sword Dao Emperor and the Mechanist Emperor.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" The Sword World began to show cracks, and only one percent of the sword energy hit Bo Qiu.
"Crack, crack, crack, hiss~" The five Mechanist Dao Soldiers, still in motion, didn't fully close, leaving a small gap.
The struggle of force tilted the scales of victory in favor of Bo Qiu, the Jiao Yuan Snake.
"Roar!!"
At that moment, Bo Qiu suddenly heard a familiar roar in his Mind Abyss domain.
A moonlight burst out from the toxic barrier, speeding across the battlefield.
It was Palace Master Ji Xia, transformed into the Moon Spirit Cat, who moved at incredible speed, reaching the bronze cauldron before anyone else and swallowing it whole, then gracefully leaving.
After transforming, Palace Master Ji Xia was best known for his speed. He was the fastest among everyone present.
"Dammit! Stop him!" Zhong Qi shouted, startled.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Golden needles pursued, and Mechanist Dao Soldiers quickly formed a pocket formation in front of the Moon Spirit Cat, trying to swallow it.
"Ding!"
The Moon Spirit Cat nimbly pushed off, using the gap to immediately return even faster than before.
"Boom~"
A burst of mist exploded, and the Moon Spirit Cat's figure disappeared, once again breaking out of the encirclement.
"Such agile movement!" Zhao Xing, standing in the mist, didn't immediately join the fight, but when he saw Palace Master Ji Xia's maneuvers, he was also impressed.
As the bloodline of the Moon Spirit Cat, Palace Master Ji Xia could still use the Heavenly Timing Cloud Technique, traveling through space. He truly lived up to the reputation of someone who had cultivated for countless years.
Unlike Zhao Xing, who, after transforming into the Mind Dragon Emperor, couldn't use his human form's techniques unless he transformed into a Demon Ape.
However, the Demon Ape's bloodline and form were closer to the human race, while the Moon Spirit Cat's life structure was completely different from that of humans.
"Why are you still standing there? Let's go!"
Palace Master Ji Xia dashed above Zhao Xing's dragon horns, his claws grabbing them. A mist surrounded them, and they traveled once again.
Whoosh!
Before Bo Qiu, Zhong Qi, and the others could launch their attacks, a cat and a dragon vanished from the spot.
"Boom~~"
The instant the two disappeared, the earth was violently shaken, and molten lava erupted from the ground.
"Ahhh! You idiots!" Bo Qiu roared in fury, chasing after Zhao Xing and Palace Master Ji Xia.
...
South of Crescent Island, on a mountain peak.
"Hum~"
Cloud Qi suddenly emerged from the void, and then a dragon and a cat were ejected like cannonballs, crashing into the ground.
"Ugh~"
The Moon Spirit Cat spat out the small cauldron from the pit, feeling overheated. "Oh my heavens, this cauldron is so heavy, it nearly killed me... Zhao Xing, my... my mana is almost drained. It's your turn now..."
Palace Master Ji Xia returned to his human form and immediately collapsed, exhausted from overusing his strength. The exquisite moves came at the cost of severe exhaustion. He was no longer able to maintain the Transformation Power and fainted.
Zhao Xing quickly protected Palace Master Ji Xia.
"It's up to me now."
He quickly stowed the bronze cauldron and prepared to leave, carrying Palace Master Ji Xia on his back.
"Swish, swish~~"
At that moment, a figure dressed in hemp clothes appeared in the sky.
It was Juan, who had returned!
"Palace Master Ji Xia of the Four Seasons Palace."
"So, you must be Zhao Xing from the Primordial Realm."
"This looks new."
Zhao Xing wanted to fly away, but with a casual step, Juan's military boots seemed to freeze space, making it hard for him to move.
"Stop struggling. For Gu Luohe's sake, I won't kill you. Hand over the artifact and any valuable items."
The Carlos Family really knew how to do business; they wanted the money, and they wanted the goods. After dealing with Zhong Qi, they turned their attention to Zhao Xing.
"Senior, I'm willing to give it up." Zhao Xing immediately spat out the Two Rituals Cauldron, and from his regular storage ring, he took out a high-quality Reincarnation Dao Soldier.
"Senior also knows the rules of the Extreme Star Floating Island's formation, I can't open my internal world or the world ring. Everything I have is here."
Juan didn't seem to have any intention of stepping aside. "Too little. You're quite wealthy, this doesn't match your status."
"Boom!"
Without any hesitation, Zhao Xing immediately threw the Two Rituals Cauldron and the Reincarnation Dao Soldier into the distance, switched to his human form, and activated Distanceless Teleportation.
Juan Carlos reached out with one hand to grab the flying Two Rituals Cauldron and the high-quality Reincarnation Dao Soldier, while his other hand reached for Zhao Xing.
"Bang!"
Zhao Xing was crushed, his materials scattering everywhere.
"The Primordial Avatar's Distanceless Teleportation..."
Juan understood, Zhao Xing had escaped.
There were hundreds of thousands of floating islands on the lower levels, and Juan didn't know where Zhao Xing had teleported to. He could only let it go.
Of course, this was because Zhao Xing had thrown the Two Rituals Cauldron, distracting Juan.
"Fine." The Primordial Avatar was hard to capture and kill anyway. Since the treasure was in hand, Juan didn't bother further. If he ran, so be it.
He glanced at the small cauldron, which was now empty, and casually tossed it into his storage ring.
...
Tooth Stone Island, Zhao Xing's figure materialized.
However, as soon as he stabilized, he immediately activated Distanceless Teleportation again, appearing on Starfish Island.
"The Carlos Family is indeed cunning. He didn't leave at all, he was watching everyone."
"Luckily, I had predicted his prediction."
Within Zhao Xing's dantian, there were four heavy strands of dark yellow essence.
Four strands of Heaven and Earth Mother Qi had already been taken by him in advance.
"Palace Master Ji Xia."
Zhao Xing infused his Blue Flower mana into Palace Master Ji Xia's body, helping him recover.
"What… what happened?"
When Palace Master Ji Xia woke up, he was still panting, looking like a mess, but he was still concerned about the outcome.
"The plan succeeded. Juan did indeed try to take it, but he didn't make a move immediately. The Heaven and Earth Mother Qi is now in our possession."
"Good, good, good! Cough, cough..." Palace Master Ji Xia laughed heartily, but his body trembled violently, and various parts of him started to disintegrate.
"Palace Master, you should rest for a while." Zhao Xing continued to give him Blue Flower mana for recovery.
"Alright, I'll rest for now..." Palace Master Ji Xia didn't try to be tough. Ever since coming to Extreme Star Floating Island, he had never been in good health. Either he was injured or on the way to being injured.
"Heaven and Earth Mother Qi."
Zhao Xing examined the Heaven and Earth Mother Qi in his body. It was incredibly heavy, as if countless types of Heaven and Earth essence had been condensed over endless time. Looking at it, he felt his true spirit stir with excitement.
"I haven't gone through a true spirit tribulation yet, absorbing it now would be too wasteful," Zhao Xing thought to himself.
The Heaven and Earth Mother Qi could alter the Heaven and Earth's origin to allow one to skip a true spirit tribulation.
Nine Tribulations Emperor becomes a Demigod.
Aside from the true spirit tribulation that creates a demigod, the Heaven and Earth Mother Qi can be used during any of the tribulations.
"The true spirit tribulations get stronger each time. If I use it here, it's too wasteful. It should be used during the seventh or eighth tribulations to maximize the benefits."
Its value was immeasurable. If sold, even a Seven Tribulations Emperor would offer their entire fortune for it because it could genuinely save lives, allowing one to live another life!
...
In the following time, Zhao Xing and Palace Master Ji Xia quietly recovered on Starfish Island.
After Palace Master Ji Xia recovered, he didn't mention the Heaven and Earth Mother Qi to Black Sea Emperor and Dog Star Emperor.
Money moves people's hearts; he couldn't be sure those two wouldn't harbor some ill intentions.
However, he trusted Zhao Xing. Under Zhao Xing's watchful eye, he healed, showing the effect of his reputation.
Time passed, and the struggle on Crescent Island soon ended.
Three years later, Zhao Xing was observing the movements of the Fifth Layer Floating Islands.
"To reach the Fifth Layer, going to other floating islands to comprehend is very dangerous. Only Emperor Chi Xiao's place might still offer hope."
Among the nine floating islands, four were occupied, and another had the monstrous Heavenly Martial Emperor there.
The remaining four were also hard to focus on for comprehension, as people occasionally arrived on the islands, and one might fall victim during their meditation.
"When I was in Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom, I once met Emperor Chi Xiao. Now, I'm not sure if he'll let me go there to comprehend..."
Having witnessed Wei Tianchen's previous misfortune, Zhao Xing was much more cautious now.
"I'll still need to try. I have the Primordial Avatar. I can't beat Emperor Chi Xiao, but I should still be able to escape."
"If I don't ascend to the Fifth Layer and comprehend the Dao Picture, I won't be able to compete with the other Emperor Stage powerhouses, let alone pass the Sixth Layer."
On a day, three years later, Zhao Xing left Starfish Island, daringly ascending to Chi Xiao Island, one of the nine floating islands on the Fifth Layer.
"Boom~~"
Chi Xiao Island was enveloped by golden clouds, entirely a cloud island. The lower half of the island was covered by the golden clouds, making it look more like a sphere than an island.
Outside the clouds, lightning and the winds of the void formed mysterious patterns, and the terrifying fluctuations made it clear that the island's owner was not someone to be trifled with.
"I heard from Black Sea Emperor and Dog Star Emperor that the only ones who dared to explore the Fifth Layer Chi Xiao Island were Juan, Sword King Ye Liuxin, and some mysterious figure. No one else dared to come."
"Emperor Chi Xiao has never visited other islands. He has focused solely on this island, even ignoring the appearance of the magical treasures and not participating in their disputes."
Clearly, Emperor Chi Xiao had grand ambitions. He had no interest in taking any magical artifacts; his only goal was the three floating islands on the Sixth Layer.
"A long-time friend has come to visit, may I request an audience with Emperor Chi Xiao?"
Zhao Xing released a gust of wind, landing on the surface of the cloud layer on Chi Xiao Island, calling out softly.
Inside the island, in a serene and elegant pavilion, Emperor Chi Xiao was meditating, facing a stone tablet in front of him.
Upon hearing the disturbance from outside, Emperor Chi Xiao suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of lightning flickering in his gaze. His mind quickly recalled a memory.
The image finally settled on a scene from ten thousand years ago, inside the Yuanhai Ancient Kingdom's Time Chamber.
"Emperor Tianning..."
Emperor Chi Xiao pointed a finger, and instantly a hole appeared in the cloud layer, golden light shining down to guide Zhao Xing in his descent.
"Since it's an old friend visiting, please enter the Cloud Pavilion and let's chat."
Without hesitation, Zhao Xing followed the golden path and descended into the island.
Outside, lightning raged and the wind howled, but inside, it was a peaceful haven.
Zhao Xing observed his surroundings. The island was warm and sunny, with flowers, plants, and trees growing in abundance. There were even several pavilions, with no signs of the pressure of Hou Bian anywhere.
"Has Emperor Chi Xiao fully conquered the Fifth Layer?" Zhao Xing was startled. During the Yuanhai Gathering, among the nine Emperors, Zhao Xing had thought that Emperor Chi Xiao's strength was not on par with Meng Wu, Wei Tianchen, or even Hong Shan.
But now, seeing him again, Emperor Chi Xiao seemed to have made great progress.
When Zhao Xing finally saw Emperor Chi Xiao in person, he realized that Emperor Chi Xiao had already surpassed five True Spirit Tribulations, making him even stronger than Juan, who had only gone through five.
"Should I call you Zhao Xing, or Emperor Tianning?" Emperor Chi Xiao gazed at Zhao Xing as he landed.
"If Dao Brother Chi Xiao is pleased, you can call me whatever you wish."
"Hmph, you still dare to come and see me?" With a cold snort from Emperor Chi Xiao, the world suddenly changed color. The wind howled, and lightning surged, creating a scene of apocalyptic destruction.
Nine bolts of lightning shot straight towards Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing stood firm, seemingly indifferent to these attacks.
Seeing this, Emperor Chi Xiao stopped the lightning just as the tongues of lightning were about to touch Zhao Xing.
"Don't you fear death?"
"Since Dao Brother Chi Xiao has no killing intent, why should I be afraid?" Zhao Xing felt panic in his heart but remained calm on the surface, walking slowly into the Cloud Pavilion and sitting down in front of Emperor Chi Xiao.
"I'm not only not afraid of Emperor Chi Xiao, but I also need your help with something."
"Hahaha? What a joke!" Emperor Chi Xiao laughed loudly, "You mocked me last time, and now you still want me to help you?"
"Why don't you tell me, how can I help you?"
The reason Zhao Xing was so certain was mainly because he saw some of the techniques from the Yan Xing Six Qi Theory on Emperor Chi Xiao's panel.
This meant that Emperor Chi Xiao had not only read his theory but had also practiced the techniques.
The Yan Xing Theory still had many unsolved mysteries. Since Emperor Chi Xiao was so interested, studying not just the scriptures but also the techniques, he definitely wouldn't kill Zhao Xing immediately.
As long as he had the chance to speak, Zhao Xing was confident that there was nothing he couldn't resolve with a Shennong.
"I only want to borrow Dao Brother Chi Xiao's precious land to meditate for a while."
"We have a common goal."
Emperor Chi Xiao sneered, "Are you talking about the Sixth Layer of the Floating Islands? Then I should kill you. Why would I let you become my competitor?"
Zhao Xing shook his head, "No, when I say 'common goal,' I don't mean the small inheritance of the Bai Han Realm, but rather to promote the Heavenly Timing School and pursue the Dao of Heavenly Timing."
"Dao Brother Chi Xiao, do you know? The Yan Xing Theory isn't the theory of the Earthly Qi Sect or the True Self Sect; its roots should be in the Heavenly Timing School!"
Emperor Chi Xiao remained cold, "When you held the meeting, you didn't say this. The Six Qi Theory has the Earthly Qi and True Self chapters, but no chapter on Heavenly Timing!"
Zhao Xing helplessly said, "Currently in the Xuanling Star Region, the Earthly Qi Sect and the True Self Sect have the Ancient Hill and the Original Realm. Even if I want to promote the Dao of Heavenly Timing, I'm too weak. But with these two giant forces pressing down, what can I do?"
Emperor Chi Xiao's expression softened a little, "So you do believe, deep down, that the Dao of Heavenly Timing is the mainstream, the ultimate path to save the world?"
"Of course!" Zhao Xing took out an ancient book from his storage ring and slammed it onto the table. "For my whole life, I've been searching for the existence of the Extreme Star. Joining the Original Realm to practice the techniques of the True Self Sect, even the Earthly Qi Sect's techniques, was only to find the Dao through a detour."
"Dao Brother, this is the Heavenly Timing Theory from the Yan Xing Six Qi Theory. This is where the true essence lies. You are the first to see it. Does this not prove that our ideals align? Doesn't this prove my point?"
Emperor Chi Xiao really wanted to drive Zhao Xing away and didn't want to listen to his nonsense, but the words nearly left his mouth, then changed. Subconsciously, he picked up the ancient book and flipped through it, asking, "I'm really the first one to see this?"
"Dao Brother, you must believe me. If I speak falsely, let the heavens strike me down with thunder!" Zhao Xing vowed solemnly.