In other words, it would take at least another hundred years before the Star Boundary's spiritual energy fully recovered. A collective sigh rippled through the crowd—truly worthy of being a Heavenly Secret Realm, the cost of its opening was staggeringly immense.
At the same time, within the various encampments of the Star Boundary's armies, powerful figures emerged one after another from their seclusion, lifting their gaze skyward, eyes blazing with fervor.
When the myriad rays of brilliance finally dissipated, a solid, magnificent palace materialized before everyone's eyes. It was no different from the spectral image they had seen earlier, yet once it fully solidified, it radiated an overwhelming sense of pressure—as if what stood before them was not a mere palace, but the entirety of heaven and earth itself.
Crack... crack...
A heavy groaning sound echoed as a pair of colossal gates at the front of the palace slowly swung open, revealing a passage of utter darkness that led into an unknown world.
The gaping gates were like the eye of heaven itself, gazing down upon all living things. In its presence, everything in the mortal realm shrank to the size of ants.
A piercing dragon roar split the air. Two figures shot skyward—one azure, one white. The Dragon Clan's two Elders were the first to act, transforming into hundred-zhang-long dragons that hurtled toward the Profound Heaven Temple.
Simultaneously, in the Southern Region's Star God Palace, Blood Li led three Demon Saints as they departed together, racing toward the Profound Heaven Temple.
The Profound Heaven Temple's appearance had been completely without warning, catching even Zhu Yan and Blood Li off guard. Now that they had sensed it, none of them were willing to fall behind the others.
Though they would not be entering the Profound Heaven Temple themselves—and had no need to—this gathering brought together the most powerful beings of both the Human and Demon races. They would have to serve as guardians for their respective sides.
Though each of them was enormously distant from the Profound Heaven Temple, when they flew toward it, they were astonished to find that in less than the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, they had already arrived before its gates.
Hovering ten thousand zhang above the ground before the Profound Heaven Temple, the Dragon Clan's two Elders and the three Demon Saints regarded each other coldly. Sparks seemed to crackle in the air between them.
Hummm— A jade slip materialized out of thin air before Yang Kai.
He reached out and caught it, sending a sweep of divine sense through it. It was a message from Li Wuyi. Raising his gaze to the sky, he knew it was time to depart. Though the Profound Heaven Temple had opened far earlier than expected, he had finished all his preparations long ago. There was nothing left to delay him.
He took a single step forward, and beneath his feet an invisible staircase seemed to appear. Yang Kai ascended it, and with each step his figure flickered in and out of existence.
As if sensing something, he looked down. From the countless spirit peaks of Celestial Peak Palace, countless disciples of Celestial Peak Palace and soldiers from the various armies gazed up at him. On one particular spirit peak, his parents, Su Yan, Xia Ningshang, Xue Yue, Shan Qing Luo, Zhu Qing, and the others stared at him with unwavering eyes, their gazes never once wavering. In those eyes, worry and reluctance shone in equal measure. Dong Suzhu wept softly, cradled in Yang Si Ye's arms, her shoulders trembling.
Then, all at once, one hundred thousand disciples of Celestial Peak Palace thundered in a voice that shook the heavens: "We wish the Palace Master a swift victory and triumphant return!"
"We wish the Palace Master abundant fortune in battle—to ascend to the throne of Great Emperor!"
A Luo cupped her small hands around her mouth like a trumpet, channeling her full Emperor Essence as she called out: "Come back soon. We'll be waiting for you."
Yang Kai smiled, waved down toward them below, and took another step forward. His figure vanished.
This departure bore the weight of the Star Boundary's survival. This departure demanded that he bare his heart and slay the most fearsome of enemies. When the day of his return came, he would either return draped in the banner of battle—or reign supreme over all!
As Yang Kai set off, jade slips materialized out of thin air within the encampments of every army across the Star Boundary. The Pseudo-Emperors who had previously earned qualification to enter the Profound Heaven Temple and contest the Grand Dao each straightened with a start and soared skyward.
Figures and streaks of light converged from every direction.
Regardless of where they set out from, no matter how far they were from the Profound Heaven Temple, it took no more than a single cup of tea to arrive. The Profound Heaven Temple seemed to exist at the uttermost ends of the heavens, yet also as though it were right before their very eyes. This layer of mystique alone was enough to baffle anyone.
Yang Kai was the first to arrive. Zhu Yan and Fu Zhun gave him a slight nod. Under the gaze of countless living beings across the land, it would not do for them to appear too deferential—though they had already accepted that Yang Kai was the Dragon God of the Dragon Clan.
Swish, swish, swish—figure after figure materialized. In a short while, thirty Pseudo-Emperors from the Star Boundary had assembled at the site. Upon arrival, each bowed respectfully to the Dragon Clan's two Elders, then turned to regard Yang Kai with expressions of surprise.
Just as Yang Kai had never originally intended to participate in this contest of the Grand Dao, none of the other Pseudo-Emperors had expected to see him here. After all, his cultivation was equivalent to only the third layer of the Emperor Realm.
But then they recalled that he had received the legacy of Lord Ming Yue and carried within him the recognition of Heaven's Will, and their bewilderment faded.
Excluding the Dragon Clan's two Elders, the Star Boundary had a total of thirty-one participants, Yang Kai included.
"Elders, there is a matter I do not understand." From within the crowd, a figure suddenly stepped forward.
Yang Kai looked toward the voice and found that the speaker was no stranger—it was none other than Cang Mo, with whom he had clashed in the past and who could even be considered an enemy!
The fact that he appeared here meant he had earned qualification to contest the Grand Dao. His luck had held, it seemed. However, as he spoke, Cang Mo cast a glance at Yang Kai—whether intentional or not—and Yang Kai immediately understood. This fellow was about to make trouble for him.