The Eternal Lands—a boundless expanse reachable only by the Nine Heavens.
It's a place beyond the Tao Dimensions, far surpassing any Dao Layer known.
Here, even a speck of dust holds the power to obliterate Peak 1st-Path Cultivators.
Its inhabitants defy mortal understanding, born from the essence of the primordial realm, existing without origin or need. Their mere words can shatter one's sanity, making the concept of Dao Layers seem insignificant.
The True Celestials, descendants of the Starlight Oracle, oversee the Dao Layers, testing and observing from nascent to divine cultivators. And when the time comes, judgment is passed, shaping the fate of all higher realm cultivators!
...
In the Eternal Lands, there are four continents.
Up north lies the Divine Continent, home to the True Celestials who coexist peacefully with Divine Realm cultivators.
Further into the Divine Continent lies the Sacred-Emperor's Domain, where you'll find Emperor Cloudcrest, the Sacred-Emperor's eldest son.
In a stunning white and golden pagoda that resembled a heavenly palace, even the courtyard exuded luxury, with golden eagles soaring overhead and workers tending to fields of what seemed like golden immortal rice. Inside Emperor Cloudcrest's chambers, he lounged on his bed while numerous female servants attended to him, either styling his hair or selecting his attire.
The colossal doors parted.
A bald man with grey eyes, thick white beards, and a prominent third eye on his forehead entered the room. This was Noble Flamehorn, clad in white robes adorned with red and golden stripes. Uncover more tales at m,vl em pyr
He was the 1st Protector of Emperor Cloudcrest.
Cloudcrest greeted him with a smile, "Flamehorn... How have you been?"
Noble Flamehorn bowed respectfully. "Quite fine, your greatness. I've brought the cultivators as requested."
With a simple gesture, Cloudcrest dismissed the attending maidens, who swiftly left, trays of food in hand, leaving the finishing touches on Cloudcrest's robes, bed and even his well-dressed hair.
"Bring them in," Cloudcrest instructed Flamehorn.
Noble Flamehorn clapped his hands gently, and three cultivators entered.
One guaranteed living, the other didn't.
"Would you like to see your target?" asked Noble Flamehorn.
The three brothers were genuflecting before Cloudcrest, who sat comfortably on his bed. "Yes, please," they said uniformly.
Cloudcrest then said, "The name of this person you're going to kill for me is..." But he was suddenly overtaken by a fit of heavy coughing, causing all his attendants waiting outside to rush back into his chambers.
Ji Wu stood up, concerned. "What's going on?!"
Noble Flamehorn held out his hand to stop him. "Nothing. You should leave, you and your brothers. We'll get back to you later."
Ji Chang, equally worried about Cloudcrest's condition, protested, "But we can't just—"
An intense glare from Noble Flamehorn cut him off, and his third eye opened instantly, emitting a flash of red energy as he shouted, "Begone!" The animosity in that third eye was enough to show anyone that he was worlds above even the most powerful Nascent Soul cultivators.
The Ji Brothers quickly fled the room, frightened by his meager rage.
Noble Flamehorn rushed back to Emperor Cloudcrest's side, where Cloudcrest's personal attendants were already tending to him. Placing a comforting hand on Cloudcrest's shoulder, Flamehorn asked anxiously, "Are you okay?"
Removing his hand from his mouth, Cloudcrest saw the thick, dark blood staining his palm. Noble Flamehorn's worry intensified, sweat rolling down the sides of his head as his third eye slowly closed. The sight of the blood made him furious and at the same time scared for Cloudcrest's life.
"It seems I may need the Celestial Star Core sooner than expected," said Cloudcrest, trying to force a smile. "If I don't perform the marital union with Mu Lingxi, I may die sooner than expected. Now, the only obstacle is..."
Just then, a woman stepped into Cloudcrest's chambers, confidently walking like she owned the place. "Yang Wei, yes?" she said.
This woman was slender yet athletically fit, boasting a generous bust and an average height. With dark skin that added to her allure, her striking blue eyes stood out against her white hair, styled in a short ponytail with chin-length bangs oddly similar of Liu Yan's signature look—Gong Zhu Liu.
Her figure was amplified by a tight, dark blue and gold dress that hugged her curves in all the right places, highlighting her undeniable sex appeal.
"The fact you would bother about someone so insignificant, a mere petal in a bed of roses."
This woman is Noble Fate; the Fate-Destroying Celestial.
Cloudcrest's 5th Protector.