Ye Guan opened his eyes and found himself in an unfamiliar starry region.
A myriad of meteors pervaded the starry skies, hurtling somewhere with overpowering momentum. Just then, a hand shot up into the air and punched out, shattering the meteors.
The resulting explosions illuminated the starry sky, creating a breathtaking spectacle resembling a fireworks display.
Confusion was etched across Ye Guan's face. He turned around and saw a man clad in a neat robe not far to his right. The man had a few strands of white hair at his temples, making him appear old but not too old. His hands were clasped behind his back, and he exuded authority.
"Senior?" Ye Guan inquired.
The man looked at him and said, "You are not a fruit."
"Are you the Founding Ancestor of the Tianxing Civilization?" asked Ye Guan.
A flicker of surprise crossed the man's eyes. "You are quite sharp."
Ye Guan was slightly taken aback. He had not expected to encounter the Founding Ancestor of the Tianxing Civilization here.
"You still haven't answered my question," the man remarked with a smile.
Ye Guan nodded. "I am indeed not a fruit."
"Did those fruits bring you here?" the man asked, curious.
"Yes."
The man looked at Ye Guan, and his surprise was evident in his gaze, but he said no more.
Ye Guan hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can someone who is not a fruit accept the inheritance?"
"Under normal circumstances, no. But since they allowed you to come here, it means you must have achieved an extremely meritorious feat for my Tianxing Civilization. They regard you as one of their own fruits, so you can accept it."
"Thank you." Ye Guan smiled.
Just then, the starry region shook violently. The next moment, a swarm of flaming meteors rushed out of the starry sky.
Ye Guan frowned, puzzled by this sudden turn of events.
The man raised his hand and threw a punch.
Boom!
The meteors erupted into a dazzling display of fireworks.
"What's going on, senior?" Ye Guan asked, bewildered.
"First of all, restore your fleshly body," the man said, smiling without answering Ye Guan's question.
Ye Guan nodded. He sat cross-legged and began restoring his fleshly body.
The man observed Ye Guan with curiosity.
Once Ye Guan's fleshly body was restored, the man remarked, "Your fleshly body is quite interesting; it seems to be condensed from sword intent."
"Yes, that's right," Ye Guan affirmed.
"A sword intent physique. Not bad," the man complimented.
"I'd appreciate your pointers, senior," Ye Guan requested earnestly.
"You're a swordsman," the man began. "You've already established your very own Sword Dao. I cannot assist you further in that department, but I can help you refine your sword intent and strengthen your fleshly body." ℞
"Thank you!" Ye Guan responded gratefully.
The man smiled. Then, he turned and pointed at the deepest part of the starry sky. "Do you know what lies there?"
Ye Guan followed the man's finger and saw a pitch-black void that his divine sense could not reach.
"There is a door there," the man explained, "Behind it lies an entirely new vast expanse."
"A Tier Six civilization?" Ye Guan asked.
"Just a few!"
"If you have Creation Crystals, they'd be great."
Ye Guan nodded. Then, he took out a Creation Crystal and swallowed it whole. As soon as it entered him, a mysterious energy surged throughout him, filling him with warmth and comfort.
Ye Guan could feel himself recovering from his injuries; he could also feel the lingering power of the meteors flowing through him.
Ye Guan was amazed by the development.
The man grinned and remarked, "You need a constant energy supply to absorb it. Without a constant energy supply, your fleshly body won't be able to withstand it. It's a different story if you have one—you can absorb it and strengthen your fleshly body with it!"
"I see," Ye Guan grinned. Then, he remembered something and asked, "Senior, where are Yi Nian and Jing An?"
"Those two fruits have their own inheritance; it is different from yours."
"Alright!"
The man then looked at the deepest part of the starry sky. "Here they come again. This time, you can absorb even more of them."
Ye Guan looked up to a multitude of meteors racing toward him from the depths of the starry skies. They all arrived in front of him in the blink of an eye.
Clearing his mind, Ye Guan trembled as he transformed into a beam of sword light.
Swish!
He cut through the thick swarm of meteors, forging his own path amidst them.
The man observed Ye Guan among the stars, falling into deep thought.
***
The Clan Leader of the Great Sorcerer Clan, Wu Daotian, stood in the starry skies of the Wujian Universe, and the cultivators of the Great Sorcerer Clan surrounded him. They gazed into the depths of the starry skies, seemingly waiting for something.
Behind Wu Daotian stood four Holy Kings, two Eternal Supremes, and an elder dressed in white robes and wielding a white bone staff. The experts of the Great Sorcerer Clan stood behind them.
Just then, Wu Daotian turned and saw a middle-aged man walking toward him.
The newcomer was the Grand Sect Master of the Evil Dao Alliance.
Wu Daotian looked at the Grand Sect Master and asked, "Grand Sect Master, where is your esteemed Hall Master?"
"Do not fret. It's fine," Grand Sect Master calmly replied.
Wu Daotian frowned. Just as he was about to speak, the distant starry skies were plunged into chaos as what looked like a pitch-black carpet was unfurled from the depths of the starry skies.
A middle-aged man clad in a black robe appeared on the pitch-black carpet. A blood-red mask obscured his face, and his robe was covered in strange symbols that radiated a mysterious energy.
He was none other than the High Priest!
Wu Daotian and the cultivators quickly bowed in respect toward him.
The Grand Sect Master glanced at the High Priest.
Swoosh!
The High Priest suddenly stood before them. His gaze was calm, and his voice was hoarse as he asked, "Where is the Tianxing Civilization?"
"With Ye Guan," Wu Daotian responded.
The High Priest frowned. "Ye Guan?"
"He's an exceptional individual with three mysterious swordsmen as backers—a lady in a plain skirt, a man in a white robe, and a swordsman clad in blue. The Great Sorcerer Clan is still trying to find out who they are..."
"No need." The High Priest shook his head.
Wu Daotian looked at the High Priest.
"They're just a mere ragtag," the High Priest added, "It would be a waste of time to deal with them. If they dare to show up this time, we'll deal with them all together."