Chapter 903: Chapter 903

Li Pin departed with Heavenly Emperor Ling Hua.

It wasn't until some time after they had gone that Miao Zhuan, the leading figure among the Sacred Flame Hall crowd, suddenly snapped back to his senses. "His Majesty Origin nodded at us... and I... I didn't return the gesture!?"

A wave of inexplicable panic rose in Miao Zhuan's chest. He knew full well that Li Pin wouldn't take offense over something so trivial. But still... he couldn't shake off the unease.

It stemmed from an instinctive sense of inferiority born from the vast gap in their status. That feeling often surfaced in the presence of such towering figures. Even the smallest oversight, something completely inconsequential, could leave them filled with regret and anxiety afterward, caught in a cycle of second-guessing and self-doubt.

Even Ji Shun couldn't help but feel a similar tension in his heart. "He won't mind. His Majesty Origin wouldn't care about such formalities..."

He shared a much closer relationship with Li Pin than Miao Zhuan did, so he recovered a little more quickly. Still, when he said those words, his heart remained deeply conflicted.

He hadn't personally witnessed the battle where Li Pin quelled the rebellion within the Myriad Astral God Hall, but from all the accounts he'd heard, he understood how utterly astonishing Li Pin's strength had been at that time.

That one battle had been enough to unify all the major human factions. Not a single Supreme's faction dared to object.

Even the Heaven Ordainment Sect, known for its numerous Heavenly Emperors, had vowed to uphold their allegiance to the Myriad Astral God Hall, though they made it clear they would follow commands, not orders.

But... no story could compare to seeing Li Pin's true power with his own eyes.

Just how terrifying was Creator Miao Ya? With nothing but his own strength, he blanketed the entire Abyssal Rift No.3 in starlight imbued with the laws of the universe. That vast, towering display battered at the minds and understanding of every Heavenly Emperor present, shaking their worldview to its core.

And yet... Li Pin had managed to push back... such an overwhelming power, enough to drive a man to despair, with a force just as vast and majestic.

Just how powerful is he?

It's no wonder Heavenly Emperor Ling Hua had spoken from the heart when she said it was the Human Race's honor to have Li Pin.

Ji Shun's thoughts surged. He instinctively glanced back at the group behind him, his gaze pausing briefly on Wang Fuyun and a few others, who still looked somewhat dazed.

Thinking back to how Li Pin had appointed Wang Fuyun to a role akin to a Sovereign Divine Emperor's assistant, Ji Shun couldn't help but sigh in admiration.

That Wang Fuyun... really is blessed. His future... knows no bounds.

Even the Tyrant or Sacred Monarch titles might not be his ceiling. He is well within reach of becoming a Heavenly Emperor. Of course, he'd earned it. He had seized the opportunity and cultivated his way into the Cosmic Radiance Realm.

Had he not reached that level, even if Li Pin had the intention to support him, the best Li Pin could've done was secure him a comfortable post. He certainly wouldn't have brought Wang Fuyun along for personal guidance and mentorship.

"Fortune... truly is something."

The You Ying Palace wasn't just made up of Divine Emperor You Ying and Heavenly Emperor Ling Hua, nor was there only one You Ying Palace in Abyssal Rift No. 3.

Throughout the year, various squads roamed the rift, constantly scouting the area.

Whenever they discovered Abyssal Beasts or Oblivion Lifeforms, they would report back immediately. Nearby Tyrants who happened to be training, cultivating, or collecting materials would often step in to eliminate these threats from the Void faction.

Because of this, Abyssal Rift No. 3 was never empty or deserted. In fact, some Tyrants, Sacred Monarchs, and even Heavenly Emperors would purposely retreat into the rift to avoid the Eternal Oblivion Disaster, making the area even more active and lively. For origınal chapters go to novᴇlfire.net

So when Creator Miao Ya summoned the power of his True Body and spread starlight across the entire rift, the immense, overwhelming pressure shook everyone to their core.

Even the Heavenly Emperors, and Divine Emperor You Ying herself, felt their understanding of the world completely overturned. As for the Tyrants and Sacred Monarchs, the shock was even greater.

In that moment, countless people thought they were hallucinating, as if their entire perception of reality had been thrown into question.

And once the shock wore off, news of the event spread like a storm, rapidly sweeping outwards.

With something this earth-shattering, it was only a matter of time before the entire Astral World heard about it.

The many Heavenly Emperors of the Myriad Astral God Hall had been ready to spring into action. Unlike others who needed some time to learn about what had happened in the Abyssal Rift, they received firsthand news from Ji Shun shortly after the war at Abyssal Rift No.3 ended.

The report from above was somewhat exaggerated, even bordering on unbelievable, but its core message perfectly matched their suspicions.

Inside the meeting room equivalent in level to a Pinnacle Cosmic Radiance Divine Weapon, Divine Emperor Xi exclaimed with excitement, "Good! I knew it. His Majesty would never let us down."

The other emperors, Tai Yi, Divine Martial, Dong Xu, and Chang Sheng, had also been waiting for orders. They immediately turned to him. "Is there news?"

Divine Emperor Xi's voice was firm, filled with strength and enthusiasm. "His Majesty Divine Emperor Origin had executed all five Divine Emperors of the Astral Lord Council, Qiu Yu, Zhong Yan, Mo Xing, Yang Guang, and Tian Yu."

One by one, the Heavenly Emperors exhaled deeply, their eyes shining with renewed determination.

"He truly never fails to surprise us."

"From now on, I will never question any decision His Majesty Origin makes. No matter what he does, even if it means going to war against the Supreme Beings of the alien races, I will respond to his call without hesitation."

"Waging war against the alien Supremes..." Divine Emperor Xi seemed reminded of something and smiled. "There's another surprise in the intel, perhaps even a pleasant one. One of those hidden figures stirring trouble behind the scenes in the Astral Lord Council has made a move.

"His name is Miao Ya, who long ago took the alias Divine Emperor Zang Xu. He had been hiding within the Council, but with the near annihilation of the five Divine Emperors, he was forced to reveal his true identity. According to the report, even inside the Abyssal Rift, his strength rivals that of any Supreme! His radiance illuminated the entire Abyssal Rift No.3!"

"A Supreme?!" Tai Yi was shaken. "If the Astral Lord Council has a Supreme, then how did His Majesty—"

Before he could finish, Divine Emperor Xi interrupted with a knowing smile. "Are you still treating His Majesty as just an ordinary Divine Emperor?"

Tai Yi snapped back to reality. "Divine Emperor..."

Then he shook his head hard. "Impossible! No Divine Emperor could achieve what His Majesty has done... let alone kill all five Divine Emperors, who represent the peak of the Astral World, and all while surrounded by their combined assault."

He drew a deep breath. "His Majesty has definitely reached the Supreme level. It's just that the path he walks differs from ours and the mainstream alien Supremes, which is why he can still remain within the Astral World."

He glanced at Emperor Xi. "That explains it. Even with a terrifying hidden force behind the Astral Lord Council, one rivaling Supreme power, they still couldn't save their five Divine Emperors. They could only watch helplessly as His Majesty struck them down."

Divine Emperor Xi gave a slight nod, then spoke with a voice tinged with unmistakable pride. "Exactly. That Miao Ya, who claims to hold the true path, made his move, but His Majesty still managed to drive him back. The fate of the five Divine Emperors from the Astral Lord Council ultimately fell into His Majesty's hands.

"This battle carries unprecedented significance. It proves that even the path walked by those mysterious forces behind the Council cannot compare to His Majesty's. He alone represents the true direction. The future lies in the path he leads us toward."

The others quickly understood the implications.

The reason the Astral Lord Council was able to stir such chaos in the Astral World was ultimately because it gave hope to the Sacred Monarchs, Heavenly Emperors, and especially to those Divine Emperors who, for various reasons, had been stuck at a dead-end and had never managed to step into the Supreme Realm.

On top of that, the Eternal Oblivion Disaster had greatly limited the Supremes' ability to intervene in the Astral World. That gave those already standing at the peak of power the courage to act more boldly. In the end, many chose to side with the Council.

But now, with this battle, Li Pin had shown that the Council's path might not be the right one. If, at this critical moment, the Human Race could wipe out a Sovereign Race in a crushing offensive, it would serve as a clear warning, a show of force that would quickly bring those restless factions back in line.

"This is the moment we've been waiting for! It's our chance to rise!" Divine Emperor Xi immediately gave the order. "Summon all Heavenly Emperors. It's time to move out!"

Just then, Divine Martial spoke up. "If His Majesty's path truly surpasses even the powers behind the Astral Lord Council, then this time, we can afford to be bolder."

Divine Emperor Xi's heart stirred. "Bolder..."

He quickly understood what Divine Martial meant.

Their original plan was to take over the Star Spirit Clan as a warning to the other races. After that, they would slowly erode those races' allegiance through cultural influence and ideology, shifting their stance toward the Human Race over time.

It would’ve been a slow and quiet operation.

This gentle approach came from two concerns. Firstly, the Human Race didn't yet have the strength to go up against all the races in the Astral World at once. Secondly, the true trump cards of these races were their Supremes and Highlords.

Even if the Human Race managed to uproot their influence in the Astral World through force, as long as their Supremes and Highlords still existed, they could always rebuild.

And with the Void as a shared enemy, the Human Supremes weren't yet willing to push the alien Supremes into a corner and risk an all-out conflict.

So their real goal this time was to lay the groundwork for the Human Race to rise as the dominant force in the Astral World.

But if Li Pin's path truly surpassed that of the Council, then the Human Race could completely take the Council's place. When that happened, the power they could wield would be so immense that even if the Supremes and Highlords of other races turned hostile, it wouldn't be enough to shake the Human Race's hold on the Astral World.

After a brief pause, Emperor Xi made his decision. "We proceed as planned. Liberate the Star Spirit Clan. In the meantime, I'll consult His Majesty. What comes next will be decided by him personally."