Shadow's Divination

"Ahh... the peak of the Divine Tribulation Realm."

Xiao Jiantian let out a breath of satisfaction as he got up after fully consuming all three Universe Penta Jade Pellets. While he had more than enough to ascend to the Divine Spirit Realm, he used those reserves to strengthen his foundations. There was another reason he chose not to ascend here... and that was the damage that would be done to his precious hall.

"Is there no limit to the amount of profound energy you can absorb?" Qianye Ying'er wondered, having watched him swallow all three Universe Penta Jade Pellets like they were a group of green beans.

"From what I've observed, yes... there is no limit." Xiao Jiantian opened his palm and channelled the Law of Nothingness. From it, ten more Universe Penta Jade Pellets appeared.

"..." Qianye Ying'er's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't reached for a spatial ring or anything... the pellets came out of thin air!

"What did you do just now?"

"In our Primal Chaos Dimension, there are ten laws; the Five Basic Elemental Laws, two Higher Level Elemental Laws of Darkness and Light, the Supreme Level Elemental Laws; Space and Time which can also be called the Dimension and Reincarnation laws... and, lastly, the Origin of All Laws."

"The Law of Nothingness... which I used just now."

"With it... I can create anything from nothing as long as it isn't beyond my ability. On the plus side, it doesn't even cost me profound energy to do so. It's a neat cheat, I must say..."

Qianye Ying'er had been listening rather keenly, nodding when he stopped. "Then this Law of Nothingness paired with your ability to absorb an endless amount of profound energy would mean that cultivation is a joke to you."

"... I mean, it kind of is." Xiao Jiantian shrugged, chuckling a little. "After all my struggles, Heaven has blessed me with such an easy life. However, as strange as it sounds, I preferred the old times when I had to work for everything I had."

"And that is why you refuse to abuse this ability?"

"When you can have everything in the world instantly... life loses its beauty." Xiao Jiantian put away the pellets into his spatial ring. "I've experienced that feeling of boredom many times before, so I'd rather thoroughly enjoy this time before I reach the peak again."

"Thoroughly? What do you intend to do now?"

"Oh, nothing much..." Xiao Jiantian replied in an innocent tone. "Just a little playing around in the God Realm."

"Hmph... it seems that I've brought a menace to the Realm of the Gods." Qianye Ying'er sighed, though she smiled afterwards.

"However, before I get to that, I have a few questions regarding the current Realm of the Gods. Firstly, how many women are known to have the Divine Stainless Body?"

"Why do you ask?" Qianye Ying'er inquired, raising an eyebrow as she did so.

"Because I want to sire a dynasty of divine children, of course!" Xiao Jiantian replied rather enthusiastically, though he was joking. "And what better way than women with the Divine Stainless Body? In a thousand years, every God-Emperor would be my child... oh, how wonderful that would be."

"... Hmph. What's the real reason?"

"Nevermind, I'll find out on my own." Xiao Jiantian shook his head. "My second question is; have any of my replications done anything significant in these past few hundred years?"

"There was one incident that comes to mind regarding the Star and Moon God Realm's."

"Oh? Give me all the details." Xiao Jiantian was somewhat interested as to what would cause one of his replications to act out?

"It was relatively recent..." Qianye Ying'er closed her eyes, recalling the event.

~

The Heavenly Wolf Star God, Prince Xisu, broke his way into the Moon God Realm fueled by rage and the adamant intent to rescue his mother from the hands of Yue Wuya. In battle, he was an absolute monster to the point where he slaughtered four great Divine Masters with swift ease and crushed two Moon Gods under the weight of his heavy sword. Wherever he went in the Moon God Realm, he caused calamity; thoroughly destroying an entire star region of the Moon God Realm and slaughtering countless profound practitioners as he did so.

He was not even a thousand years old... that was the most terrifying part.

Anyone that got in his way to rescue his mother... well, they did not meet a fate that anyone would envy.

Eventually, he did reach her and intended to leave the Moon God Realm. However, Yue Wuya, the Moon God Emperor would not allow him to leave so easily. Encircled by numerous Moon Gods and their God Emperor himself... not even Prince Xisu could escape with his life.

Not with his mother slowing him down.

"You are a true genius, Heavenly Wolf Star God. Not even a thousand years old and you can cause such a commotion in my Moon God Realm... however, if you think that you can escape without paying for the damage that you've done... you are dreaming!"

"..." Prince Xisu took a deep breath. Everywhere he looked, there was a Moon God blocking the way. If he was all alone, breaking away from this formation of mighty profound practitioner's wouldn't be easy but he was capable. However... with his mother safely tucked in his arms?

No, that would be impossible.

That was when his mother had made the decision to sever her life vein... but she stopped as a wave of tremendous power shook the entire Moon God Realm.

"This tyrannical pressure..." One Moon God started to sweat, his knees buckling to the ground.

Yue Wuya looked up and his eyes widened in shock. "It can't be..."

A figure slowly descended from the atmosphere of the Moon God Realm, wearing simple black robes without any decorations whatsoever. A humble man, surely... well that was not exactly the case. He had short spiky black hair and azure eyes that could steal the radiance of the shining moon. Combined with his overwhelming strength and familiar pressure, almost everyone of significance knew who had just descended upon the Moon God Realm.

He stole the breath of every person present with his sheer presence.

"S... S... Sword Go- God... what bri-"

SHEW.

SHEW.

SHEW.

Hundreds of lightning infused swords descended from the sky, piercing every Divine Master and Moon God in Prince Xisu's path. Not a single blade was fatal... but no one was in the state to give chase to Prince Xisu anymore. He looked up at the seemingly invincible god above with eyes full of pure reverence.

"I thank you from the depths of my heart and soul, almighty Sword God Xuanyuan! This favour... I'll never forget it, not even after I die!!"

"I only saved you because of how you assisted the original when he was alive." Xuanyuan Jiantian's replication shook his head. "Now go swiftly, Prince Xisu."

"... Thank you, again." Prince Xisu stated with a tone of gratitude as he grabbed his mother and flew away from the Moon God Realm at a swift pace, without looking back once.

"As for you... Moon God Emperor, this appearance of mine did cost some energy. I'm going to have to withdraw some of your profound crystals if you don't mind."

"..." How could he reject? Yue Wuya helplessly watched as Xuanyuan Jiantian's shadow 'withdrew' a good portion of his Moon God Realm's treasury and dipped.

"Hopefully, I won't have a reason to leave my domain again."

And so, the replication returned to the Shadow Sun Sect where it belonged.

~

"After all that, the Moon God Realm was very cautious in matters regarding the Star God Realm. They were afraid of awakening your shadow once more and suffering even greater consequences than the last time." Qianye Ying'er finished explaining the story of how one of his replication's acted independently.

"Wow... that Xisu sure got brave, didn't he?" Xiao Jiantian chuckled. "I'm glad he's still alive, though... I quite liked him."

"He shares your lust for battle, that's for sure."

"Now, my next question, when's the next Profound God Convention?"

"The date has not been confirmed yet." Qianye Ying'er stated. "Though, I'd guess that it'll come sooner than usual... due to a certain crack in Primal Chaos."

"A crack in Primal Chaos??" Xiao Jiantian frowned, slightly concerned. "What could possibly crack the walls of Primal Chaos? Wouldn't it just recover faster than it could be harmed?"

"That is not the case... this crack only grows larger by the day due to an unknown source from the outside. Currently, not many are paying attention to it. Hmph, the blissful ignorance of some people is rather amazing..."

"Ahh, looks like something I'll have to deal with later." Xiao Jiantian noted. "Well, in that case, I'll just host my very own profound god convention!"

"And use that event to make your grand entrance?"

"Ying'er knows me far too well..." Xiao Jiantian laughed. "Did you find a Divine King for me to fight, by the way?"

"I'll have a Brahma King find one..."

~

After a simple order from Qianye Ying'er, one of the Brahma Kings went over and grabbed a relatively fresh Divine King Realm profound practitioner. Being chosen by one of the Brahma Kings was naturally a great honour, making the man smile with great anticipation.

Perhaps his latest breakthrough was noticed... and the Brahma King came to reward him for his progress?

"Mighty Brahma King... what is it that you wish from me?"

"A proof of battle." The Brahma King grabbed the Divine King and shoved him into a cultivation room where only Xiao Jiantian was waiting. He sealed off the exit without a second question and waited for the result.

The profound practitioner that the Brahma King brought was only in the first stage of the Divine King Realm. However, no one in the Brahma Monarch God Realm is ordinary - one way or the other! He was only fifty years old... a genius among geniuses outside of the Brahma Monarch God Realm. However, inside of it, he could only be considered average (if not slightly below it).

"What is your name, junior?" Xiao Jiantian asked, holding a plain-looking sword in his hands.

"Hahaha... is this a joke?" The man laughed sensing Xiao Jiantian's cultivation which was only at the peak of the Divine Tribulation Realm. "What is there to prove? How badly I can crush you?"

"Hoho..." Xiao Jiantian smirked, preparing to draw his sword. "I'll have fun with you."

"If kissing the ground is fun, then you'll enjoy this beating." The Divine King prepared his fists and charged Xiao Jiantian. Earning a Brahma King's favour by beating down on someone so weak... it was too easy! He was already thinking of how he would celebrate... until-

Xiao Jiantian closed his eyes and drew his sword.

Phoenix flames engulfed his blade while a wave of chilling water formed around his free arm. Just before the Divine King could strike, he released both fire and water at once from their respective sides.

Blocked by the wave of powerful flames and water, the Divine King backed away... but it was already too late.

Xiao Jiantian flicked his sword mid-air, infusing it with the Supreme Elemental Laws and kicked it straight into the chest of the Divine King.

'Time-Space Branch 3rd Form... Distorted Sword!'

The Distorted Sword that approached the Divine King fused both the water AND fire laws around it, creating volatile blue flames as it sped towards him!

BOOOOOOOM.

Xiao Jiantian watched as the Divine King was engulfed in an unforgiving inferno of blue flames. He was partially intrigued, having realised that his 'little trick' actually worked... and partially pitying the fate of the Divine King.

Hearing his screams, Xiao Jiantian sighed. "I'll help you."

After absorbing the flames, he healed the Divine King and erased his memories of this event before kicking his unconscious self out. The Brahma King returned the unconscious body to his previous station afterwards.

"Satisfied yet?" Qianye Ying'er asked as she appeared behind him. "Honestly, I wouldn't be opposed to seeing what more you are capable of."

"Ying'er, I need you to bring someone from Blue Pole Star here."

"Hmm?"

"I've contracted her to be my maid for three years and well, it would be a great waste not to make use of her services."

"Services, you say?"

"Uhh, it's nothing special, I can assure you. She's not my type anyway."

"Fine, what is her name?"

"Huan Caiyi, middle stages of the Sovereign Profound Realm... since you've been stalking me, you would know, wouldn't you?"

"Oh... her." Qianye Ying'er nodded. "Very well, I'll bring her here."

...

"You're..."

Qianye Ying'er grabbed Huan Caiyi and vanished from Blue Pole Star as swiftly as she came. Well, actually, she gave a mocking glance at Xia Qingyue (while being invisible) before leaving.

~

Afterwards, Xiao Jiantian spoke with his most advanced and active replication of all; the one who overlooked the Shadow Sun Sect. While he was away, the replication was the acting God-Emperor and ensured that everything was running smoothly. Thanks to that, the Shadow Sun Sect naturally grew at a rapid pace.

"You want me to host your very own Profound God Convention?" He chuckled at the request. "Very well, I'll spread the message."

...

A sound transmission echoed across the entire Southern half of Primal Chaos, causing every single profound practitioner in its borders to look up and heed the words befalling them carefully.

"After hundreds of years in deep slumber, the true... the almighty, Xuanyuan Jiantian has awakened from his slumber. To celebrate such an occasion, he has chosen to host the very first Divine Realm Conference in which the Eastern, Southern and even Western Divine Regions can participate. This particular event will be hosted on the grounds of the Shadow Sun Star Realm within a year."

"For further information... await the Sword God's next divination!"

...

"!!!"

Every single profound practitioner in the Realm of the Gods was shell-shocked, from the lowest of the low to the Dragon Monarch himself.

"Xuanyuan Jiantian is... alive?"

That name brought back some unwanted memories...

...

Meanwhile, in the Northern Divine Region, the Soul Stealing Realm.

Due to how widespread the news was in the Realm of the Gods, it was only a short while before it would reach the Northern Divine Region; especially its Royal Rank Star Realms.

After hearing the report from her dependable 9th Witch Nanhuang Chanyi, Chi Wuyao couldn't help but smile.

"So, our gallant hero returns and has invited everyone else but his Queen..." She spoke in her seductive voice, recalling the time he had spent as Devil Master Emperor Xuanyuan.

"Such a neglectful Emperor... but, knowing him, I'm sure this event will turn out to be even more interesting than it seems."