Wu Ji, once renowned throughout the world, was cleaved into ashes and scattered by the wind amidst cries of agony.
He proved with bloody facts that ascending to immortality was not easy, but filled with blood and tears.
The cultivators of Shihu Village were like mourners at a funeral, their faces ashen, feeling the world had turned bleak.
With the only ancestor capable of holding the fort gone, the entire sect lost its greatest deterrent. Their fate was sealed: liquidation and an unimaginably tragic end.
The ancestors of Tongtian Pavilion and Feifeng Ridge, their faces pale, had been excited about ascending themselves. But witnessing this scene, their scalps tingled, and they dared not make any rash moves.
Subsequently, the two returned to their sects, sealed their mountain gates, activated their protective formations, and decided to lie low.
They did not resign themselves to fate but immediately sought to notify their sect's ancestors who had already ascended, pleading for their rescue.
Now that the Immortal Gate was open and beings of the Xuanling Realm could ascend, immortals from the upper realms could also descend through special means, albeit at a cost.
Wu Ji's failed ascension had poured a bucket of cold water on the beings of the Xuanling Realm.
They had thought becoming an immortal was effortless, only to find it so arduous. If even Wu Ji, with his strength, couldn't last three seconds, did anyone else have hope?
Then, they couldn't help but marvel at the power of the Female Supreme Being, whose tribulation felt as simple as a leisurely stroll.
An ancient figure from the cultivation world spoke, explaining the event: "The Immortal Gate has just reopened, and chaotic energy is rampant. The heavenly tribulation for ascension is unimaginably powerful, naturally increasing the difficulty of becoming an immortal exponentially. Once this chaotic energy dissipates, the power of the heavenly tribulation will weaken, and the difficulty of ascension will naturally decrease."
Upon hearing this, many breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that although ascension was perilous, there was still a chance, and it wasn't so difficult as to cause despair.
Some were puzzled: if ascension was so dangerous now, why was it so easy for the Female Supreme Being?
"If you wielded a top-tier immortal artifact, it would be easy for you too."
Some were filled with envy and jealousy; comparing oneself to others truly was enough to drive one mad.
Immortal artifacts were rare, with only a few low-tier ones openly known in the Xuanling Realm, perhaps with a few hidden ones. These were the trump cards of their sects and could not be taken for ascension.
To ascend to immortality, it was best to wait patiently for some time.
With Wu Ji's example before them, many were extremely cautious, intending not to attempt tribulation and ascension without absolute certainty.
"The path to immortality has reopened!" Da Feng Novel Network
A small number of old ancestors from various sects also uttered contemplative sighs.
Their emotions were not of excitement, but rather filled with worry and anxiety about the unknown.
A disciple couldn't help but ask their ancestor why he was so troubled.
"The so-called immortals are not the bright and holy beings that the world perceives. More often, they are aloof, with a vile countenance that takes what they please. The Xuanling Realm, sealed for ten thousand years, will become a piece of fat meat in the eyes of many immortals, who will seek to carve out a share."
That ancestor spoke, revealing an incredibly cruel truth.
The disciples were stunned, their minds buzzing.
Did that not mean that if those ill-intentioned immortals descended, they would be like fish on a chopping block, at their mercy?
The ancestor continued, "Pass down the order: restrain the disciples and act with discretion. When you go out, be humble. In some time, many demons and ghosts will descend. We must not offend the wrong people and bring about the sect's annihilation."
The disciple agreed, their face filled with sorrow. They could imagine that life would be uneasy from now on. Reluctantly, they asked, "Will no one intervene when they act recklessly then?"
"How can they intervene?"
The ancestor's gaze was somewhat dim. The law of the jungle, the strong preying on the weak, was an eternal truth in the cultivation world. The weak would inevitably be bullied.
This ancestor clearly harbored concerns about the future, but then, as if struck by an idea, his clouded eyes erupted with a glimmer of hope: "Immediately find a way to build a good relationship with the 'Little King' Luo Li in the Southern Domain. Perhaps there is someone in the lower realm who fears no Heavenly Immortals."
"Ancestor, you're referring to...?"
"Yes, the legendary mysterious existence, the legendary figure who has repeatedly created miracles, Mr. Ji!"
...
At this moment.
The legendary mysterious Mr. Ji was sternly disciplining a small animal.
He was flicking the little creature, Xiao Tuantuan, on its head repeatedly, causing it to develop bumps.
The poor Xiao Tuantuan was almost covered in lumps.
It pouted, its innocent big eyes looking pitiful, yet it offered no resistance.
When the Female Supreme Being ascended, she had also lifted the seal on the Iron-Eating Beast. After regaining its freedom, the little fellow had returned of its own accord.
The returned missing person was not met with a warm reception but rather a sound scolding.
"Is Mr. Ji this harsh? Even divine beasts get beaten?"
The Ghost Fire nearby was stunned.
Divine beasts were always doted upon and cherished like precious gems, their every wish granted, and they were meticulously cared for.
And now?
Mr. Ji was openly beating a divine beast. It was terrifying.
The Old Demon knew the whole story and understood that the Iron-Eating Beast had run away from home, so it was its own fault. He snorted, "So what if it's a divine beast? If it doesn't listen to Mr. Ji, it gets beaten."
As he spoke, he cast a meaningful glance at the Ghost Fire.
The Ghost Fire shivered and quickly declared, "I will definitely be the most obedient and follow Mr. Ji wholeheartedly. I will not be like this Iron-Eating Beast; I will be obedient and clingy. I belong to Mr. Ji in life and death, his loyal ghost."
"You can forget it; you wouldn't even be able to learn it if you tried," Lu Wukai poured cold water on the Ghost Fire. "Look, this is what 'tough love' truly means."
Over there, after disciplining Xiao Tuantuan, Ji Mo's anger had subsided.
Then, seeing the bumps all over Xiao Tuantuan's head, he felt he had been too heavy-handed. He tenderly picked up the little fellow and fed it a large number of ninth-grade spirit pills.
Such treatment was simply too good.
Xiao Tuantuan was so moved that tears welled up in its eyes. "Chef Ji, from now on, I'll be your master."
The proud Iron-Eating Beast, after this incident, finally felt that Ji Hanhan was the best and most reliable in the world, willingly submitting to him.
With the Female Supreme Being's ascension, three of the four great figures of the Ghost Realm had perished.
The Ghost Fire inexplicably found itself the final victor, the ruler of the Ghost Realm.
Of course, the Ghost Realm belonged to it, and it belonged to Ji Mo.
Under the Ghost Fire's command, the entire Ghost Clan army retreated back to the Ghost Realm, bringing the invasion to a close.
Thus, both the Ghost Clan and the Demon Realm had fallen into Ji Mo's hands.
Furthermore, the Southern, Western, and now Eastern Domains of the Xuanling Realm were all obedient to Ji Mo.
Ji Hanhan would never have imagined that, without realizing it, he had almost unified the Three Realms.
Of course, if he so wished, it wouldn't be long before the entire Xuanling Realm, encompassing all five regions and four oceans, would fall into his grasp.
Hei Meigui, Xuanyang, and a few others had finally gathered A'Li and the others, assembling all the elites of the Southern Domain. They were eager, anticipating a grand battle with the Ghost Clan army.
But suddenly.
They received news that the war was over and they had won.
"Really, Brother Ji solved the Ghost Realm invasion all by himself, not giving us a chance to show off," Little A'Li pouted, her small face filled with excitement, as she would soon see Brother Ji again after a long separation.
"Since everyone is gathered, Feifeng Ridge is in the Eastern Domain. Let's destroy them along the way," Hei Meigui proposed, intending to settle accounts with these traitors.
The main reason was to find some good ingredients for her 'Momo' to replenish him. She had heard that the great demon of Feifeng Ridge possessed a trace of phoenix blood, so its taste should be excellent.
Thus, a large group tacitly smiled and approved the suggestion, heading straight for Feifeng Ridge.