Chapter 83: The Era of the Divine Sovereign

Bai Ze was born alongside heaven and earth, belonging to the ranks of primordial beings. When his divine powers first formed, he roamed the world, his name renowned far and wide. At that time, there were many whose magical abilities surpassed his, but he was innately gifted in the arts of Yin and Yang, able to discern the will of the heavens and avoid danger. He had traveled to many lands unharmed, his mastery of Yin and Yang so profound that his art of escaping through their duality was unrivaled and mysterious.

A silent, invisible current of wind slipped from the void as soon as the words fell, as if flowing along the path of the Dao. Nan Luo had only just turned his head when he was caught in the wind, and both he and his mirror were shattered like dried leaves, dissolving into powder and vanishing in the air.

Bai Ze emerged from the void like the wind, holding the woman in white in his arms, the two appearing as a pair of immortals. Yet the woman gently clutched her abdomen, her brows lightly furrowed. Her pale lips parted as though she wanted to speak, but in the end, no words came.

Bai Ze seemed to sense her unspoken question and said softly, “It’s not that I wanted to kill him, but that mirror in his hand is truly remarkable. With him present, we could not have escaped.”

Her brows remained furrowed and she said nothing, only sighing softly.

Bai Ze took her hand again, preparing to leave, but suddenly, more than a dozen figures materialized in the void around them, forming a tight encirclement. These people had appeared so abruptly that even Bai Ze had failed to notice them in advance. Even now, as they revealed themselves, there was not the slightest trace of magical power emanating from them. Yet each one stood tall in the emptiness, holding treasures that glimmered with various lights, and together they had faintly woven a profound formation that sealed off this patch of void.

“So it’s the Ancient Red Wasp. Since when did the mighty Red Wasp become a lackey of the Celestial Court?” Bai Ze cocked his head, a look of disdain in his eyes and a mocking tone in his voice. Only now did he truly display the arrogance of a primordial being.

An elder with red hair among them chuckled darkly. “The great Bai Ze, God of the Southern Wilds—your reputation precedes you. I’ve long wished to see your skills for myself.”

Bai Ze’s lips curled into a cold smile. “See my skills? You are not worthy. If not for the talismans you carry, which isolate all auras, I could have made your souls scatter within a hundred miles.”

The Ancient Red Wasp’s eyes widened, ready to strike, but Bai Ze laughed aloud and said, “You, too, have been a figure of renown for many years, and joining the Celestial Court is understandable, but to find yourself ranked beneath some minor clan’s upstart—ha! Since Di Jun is so eager to meet me, what harm is there in paying a visit to the Celestial Court?”

As soon as his words fell, Bai Ze turned into a gust of clear wind and vanished. Some among the encirclement made to intercept him, but at a signal from the Ancient Red Wasp, they stood down.

These people were all from the Ancient Red Wasp’s clan, some of whom had received his instruction, most of whom were his kin. They looked at him in puzzlement.

“Our task is complete. Bai Ze is no easy foe; we need not risk our lives in a futile struggle. Besides, this matter of inviting Bai Ze was handed over to that young member of the human race. If Bai Ze goes to the Celestial Court, the credit is ours; if not, it simply means that so-called First Star Lord of the Celestial Court has failed in his duties.” As he spoke the phrase “First Immortal Lord,” his tone was laced with biting sarcasm, and the others burst into laughter.

“Haha, Ancestor, how wise you are! Pity that the so-called First Star Lord of the Celestial Court is now dead! Bai Ze’s mastery of Yin and Yang is truly formidable.”

“Heh, even if he had survived, Ancestor would have shown him your power, taught him that a junior should not be so arrogant. Just because he entered the Celestial Court a little earlier, did he really think himself the First Star Lord?”

When the Ancient Red Wasp finished, he formed a spell with his hands, and a red light flashed over everyone. Profound runes appeared faintly on their bodies, and at his sharp command, they all vanished at once.

The world fell abruptly silent, with only the withered mountain standing as witness to the extraordinary events that had transpired there.

That mountain, swept by Bai Ze’s Yin and Yang aura, was utterly lifeless now. At its summit, Nan Luo stood quietly, gazing toward the sky, in the direction Bai Ze had departed and the Ancient Red Wasp had later followed.

The lingering Yin and Yang energy left him deeply uneasy, but in the instant it enveloped him, he had managed to escape. As for the Ancient Red Wasp and his followers, Nan Luo had long since sensed their presence a hundred miles away, even though their talismans, gifts from Di Jun, concealed all signs of their aura. While tracking Bai Ze, Nan Luo had caught a glimpse of them. He had overheard their final words before they left.

He had never tried to prove it, nor did he truly regard himself as the Celestial Court’s First Star Lord. Especially in recent years, as more and more mountain lords flocked to the Celestial Court, his title as Monitor of the Heavens Star Lord and the rumor that the Heavenly Emperor himself had called him the “First Star Lord” caused much resentment among those who styled themselves as kings. Many sought any opportunity to challenge Nan Luo in mystical arts and divine powers.

Within the Celestial Court itself, little came of it—no one dared act rashly without cause—but outside, Nan Luo had to remain constantly vigilant, fearing ambush or intrigue. Lacking any talent for divination, he could not calculate hidden dangers from subtle omens. All he could do was constantly scan the area with his Demon Moon Mirror, ensuring that he was aware of all unusual presences within a hundred miles, and keep the energies of the Five Elements shrouded around himself.

The highest mountain in the world—Buzhou Mountain—was soon occupied. Thus, the Celestial Court was established. Three years later, the Heavenly Emperor Di Jun proclaimed himself Emperor of Heaven, Taiyi became the Eastern Emperor, and all living beings were summoned to bear witness. The world was named the Great Desolation, and that year became the first of the Celestial Era. All the clans of the Great Desolation were ordered to present themselves at Buzhou Mountain.

Some clans and mountain lords went, some chose indifference and freedom, but most remained watchful, waiting to see which way the wind would blow. Many great masters formed alliances, keeping in close secretive contact, working together to resist the forceful momentum of the Celestial Court.

In the third year of the Celestial Era, Bai Ze, God of the Southern Wilds, entered the Celestial Court and was appointed Divine Spirit of the Demons. The world was shaken. Bai Ze’s fame did not lie only in his mystical arts, but in his mastery of Yin and Yang, his understanding of the heavens, and his talent for divining fate. Those who had resolved to oppose the Celestial Court became even more wary. Many who knew Bai Ze followed his example and joined the Celestial Court.

In an instant, the Celestial Court’s power swelled mightily, even before Di Jun and Taiyi had acted directly.

When Nan Luo returned to the Celestial Court, Bai Ze had already been there for many days, and there was no longer any need to report back. The Celestial Court was now full of unfamiliar faces, and with the numbers swelling daily, there was no one he recognized. Yet while he did not know others, others certainly knew him. The Heavenly Emperor himself had dubbed him the First Star Lord; though it was said before few and not in an official decree, everyone remembered it, and newcomers learned of it from those before them, so that, inexplicably, he became the target of much enmity.

No one who had a place in the Celestial Court was gentle by nature. None had seen Nan Luo’s powers firsthand, only knowing that he possessed a mirror capable of illuminating all realms.

Attendance was not required in the Celestial Court, but when the Eastern Emperor Taiyi’s bell sounded, it was a summons. Upon hearing it, Nan Luo hurried toward the Hall of Stars.

Now, the Hall of Stars was different from before. The more people entered, the larger it seemed to grow, as if it could expand without end. When Nan Luo entered, more than a hundred people were already assembled, so he took a place at the back, ignoring the odd looks cast his way.

As soon as he stood still, the Heavenly Emperor spoke: “Each of you shall return to your clans and select those of profound power to form a company for the Celestial Court. In three months’ time, bring them to the Celestial Court to record their names and register them as immortals. I shall grant them secret arts and elixirs, and teach them the way of battle formations. Henceforth, they shall serve as soldiers of the Celestial Court.”

Nan Luo frowned. Forming a company from his clan would be a simple task for others, but for him, it was not so easy.