Immortal Road.

Dixi Plateau.

Kongsang Lake, Star Palace, Hundred Clans.

Lin Shan's annihilation clone hid in the Star Palace, and together with the alien race, it retreated from the Red Dust Star Sea and returned to its old lair.

This expedition was the last spiritual tide of the first year, and the alien race suffered heavy losses. In the end, they did not even obtain the Formless Star Cocoon. Overall, it was a losing proposition!

Logically, they should have stayed in the spiritual tide, continuing to plunder like the other four holy sites, trying to recoup their losses, but for some reason, they hastily withdrew.

Mu Yan was also in the Star Palace at this moment. He was brought here by the Silent Extinction Avatar and the Bear Mountain Master to prevent him from getting lost alone in the Red Dust Star Sea.

He was currently fiddling with the Star Vortex in the courtyard, looking thoughtfully at the rankings inside.

"Master, is Zhong Shenxiu planning to use your Star Sea to immediately advance to the level of a Great Supernatural Power?"

The Nirvana Avatar leisurely ate grapes and nodded indifferently.

“My third brother has given me too many resources, so it would be a bit unreasonable not to give something back. Of course, you don’t need to worry. My Star Sea is completely open to you. Use it however you want. In essence, there is no difference between you and him.”

"That celestial destiny"

Mu Yan's real concern was this: if both of them could break through to the Great Divine Power realm, but Zhong Shenxiu gained the Star Destiny in addition, wouldn't that be indirectly aiding the enemy?
"Hehe, this one."

The annihilation clone smiled gently, without answering, simply telling him to focus on his cultivation and not to worry too much about these things.

"How are you doing with your practice of the 'Star Aperture Locking Meridian Technique' that I gave you?"

Mu Yan answered honestly:
"This sixth-order body tempering technique is too difficult to master. I have only condensed thirty-six Heavenly Gang Star Apertures so far. The remaining seventy-two Earthly Fiend Star Apertures and 120,000 Star Veins will probably take a very, very long time."

He was prepared to go into seclusion for decades. Other great masters might not have such trouble, but the "Star Aperture Locking Meridian" was Lin Shan's own signature technique, used to cultivate his most outstanding talents. Once mastered, it would be comparable to the Zhou Tian Star Body!

So, trouble as it may be, we need to have a long-term perspective. Besides, having someone with experience like myself to guide him can help this kid avoid a lot of detours.

"You're doing quite well. The star energy in the Star Sea is gentle and pure now. Back then, when I was fighting for fragments of the Dark Star to create star veins, I almost suffered eternal damnation because of it."

The annihilation clone recounted the difficulties it faced when it broke through to become a Great Divine Power. The two chatted casually when suddenly a noise came from the pavilion behind them, and a faint gray light flashed before disappearing.

Mu Yan looked puzzled. He had been in the Star Mansion for so long, and he always heard noises coming from the attic from time to time.

"She's just a prisoner, but she's always up to no good and gets into trouble from time to time. I reckon she has other accomplices outside."

The annihilation clone rose, turned around, and walked into the attic.

Youmei Ji was imprisoned in the nine-story tower of the Star Mansion. At this moment, she closed her eyes and sat cross-legged. Strands of gray light were constantly attacking her own seal. However, the next moment, a hand landed on her shoulder, instantly extinguishing all her resistance!
The seal regained the upper hand, firmly locking away her cultivation.

"You're really causing trouble. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you?"

"Afraid? Of course I'm afraid."

Upon seeing the annihilation clone enter, the woman's pale cheeks flushed with a sickly redness, a consequence of the backlash from her failed attempt to break the seal.

"But what good will killing me do you? It won't bring you any benefit, and you'll lose information about my other avatars in the outside world, so they'll never be able to find me again!"

For some unknown reason, You Meiji secretly infiltrated the Red Dust Star Sea. Originally, she was completely undetected, but due to the matching mechanism, she encountered Lin Shan's true form and was suppressed on the spot.

This led Lin Shan to see through the woman's scheme!

It turned out there was another clone lurking outside, which made Lin Shan very vigilant.

It's not hard to guess that this female clone traveled thousands of miles to Lu State, probably with the intention of saving her original body. If she were to encounter the clone of Annihilation, the consequences would be unimaginable!
Fortunately, the Star Palace has now been upgraded to the Spirit Treasure Cave Heaven, isolating it from all external life forms. You Meiji is unable to sense the exact location of her true form, so she can only wander around aimlessly.

However, it cannot be ruled out that there are other clones hiding outside, so the Annihilation clone is very careful, keeping a close watch at all times to prevent her from making any small moves.

At that moment, the voice of the man from Xiongshan came from outside.

"The Bear Clan has arrived. Brother Jiemie, would you like to come out for some fresh air?"

The Annihilation Avatar responded.

"coming!"

He then thoroughly checked Youmeiji's entire body to make sure there were no problems before leaving.

From the outside world, we have arrived at a small island.

Beneath their feet was a small boat carrying about a hundred Xiong Clan members who had returned from the expedition against the spiritual tide. Seeing their homeland again, they shouted excitedly, expressing their relief at surviving the ordeal.

The elderly, women, and children of the bear-people tribe on the island also came to the shore to welcome them, most of them weeping with joy.

However, no one welcomed Xiong Shan, the new clan leader!

When the scene came to its senses, many of the bear people looked at him with puzzled expressions, asking where this person came from.
Those who returned from the expedition together, please help explain:

"This is our new chieftain of the Bear Clan. When the old chieftain died in the Spirit Tide, he stepped forward and turned the tide, saving all of us. So we have made him our chieftain!"

There's something I didn't say: the Xiong Shan master is incredibly powerful, even stronger than their original Golden Core stage patriarch. Naturally, these people are subservient and dare not voice any objections.

The tribespeople who remained on the island had no choice but to accept the reality and welcome them to their original settlement.

After taking full control, the Bear Mountain Master surveyed the entire island of the Bear People and discovered that this tribe was far too weak!
The entire clan only has a little over a thousand members, most of whom are at the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stage, with not even a single member at the Golden Core stage. No wonder they can't rank among the alien races and are looked down upon wherever they go.

Logically speaking, this shouldn't be the case. The bear-man's talent isn't weak, so how could he be in such a bad situation?
After a thorough investigation, it was discovered that this bear-man race had once been glorious, but it suffered a defeat in internal strife and was kicked out of the Elder Council by the Star Palace Hundred Races, never to recover!
For a group to develop, it needs resources, but these resources are controlled by the larger groups, leaving smaller groups to survive in the cracks and never able to rise to prominence.

The arrival of the Bear Mountain Elder was generally welcomed by the Bear Clan, who hoped he could change the status quo.

"Report! Clan Chief, an invitation to the Star Palace Elders' Council!"

A bear-man rushed in excitedly and handed over a roll of animal hide.

He couldn't help but be excited. In the past, the elders' council had never included them; they were completely unqualified. Who would invite them?
They were summoned urgently today after just making a grand return, which shows how much importance is placed on the Bear Clan!
Or rather, the emphasis placed on the late-stage Nascent Soul realm of Master Xiongshan.

"okay, I get it."

Master Xiongshan glanced at the scene, instructed his subordinates to guard the gate, and then invited his avatar, the Silent One, to join him at the meeting.

The Kongsang Sea is dotted with islands of all sizes, so much so that it could be called a Thousand Island Lake. A diverse array of peoples inhabit it, demonstrating the immense size of the alien race. While it's said to be the Hundred Races of the Star Palace, the actual number of races far exceeds one hundred.
However, most of them are still second-rate like the Bear Clan, and very few can actually enter the Elder Council. At least there must be a Nascent Soul stage cultivator in the clan!
"Now that the Spirit Tide expedition is over, what are your thoughts? Are you really planning to join the Inhuman Race?"

The avatar of Nirvana asked Xiong Shan about his next plans, and the guy nodded seriously and said:

"Anyway, my previous backing gang has been destroyed, and I was worried about not having a place to settle down. Fortunately, the Bear Clan can openly join the Star Palace's Hundred Clans. It is a super power comparable to a holy land. I might as well develop here for a while."

Not only that, he also incited Lin Shan.

“Brother Jiemie, if you have nowhere to go, why don’t you come with me? As long as I, Old Bear, have something to eat, you will definitely not be shortchanged. We brothers can eat and drink well and make a great career for the alien race together!”

"Uh, I appreciate your kind offer, but I probably won't be able to stay here for long. Once the Wan Hui Nian spiritual tide is completely over, I need to prepare to find a place to break through to the Yuan Shen stage."

Lin Shan's main body is currently on the path to the seventh step of the Primordial Spirit stage. Once the main body breaks through first, the restrictions on the clone can be lifted, allowing him to attempt the Primordial Spirit stage with the help of treasures obtained from the Red Dust Star Sea.

Unlike the avatar of the original mind, the true clone possesses absolute combat power and can fight without any reduction in strength!
Therefore, one should absolutely not linger outside for too long.

Mu Yan also needs to go back to cultivate the Star Aperture Locking Meridian and prepare for the Great Divine Power event. You Meiji is also not behaving herself, so be careful to prevent any accidents from happening.

Xiong Shan sighed deeply, feeling somewhat downcast.

After a life-or-death journey together in the spiritual tide and adventures between various holy lands, he felt quite compatible with Lin Shan, and they were almost ready to swear brotherhood!
If Lin Shan didn't already have brothers, he really wouldn't be able to resist this guy's constant attempts to become sworn brothers.

"We're almost there. I'll hide in the Star Palace first."

The annihilation clone disappeared into Xiong Shan's embrace, and below was a huge floating island, with a magnificent star palace nestled in the lush greenery, exuding a solemn and mysterious aura.

After arriving, Xiongshan underwent multiple checks before finally entering the center of the main hall.

Inside, there was a circle of seats, all belonging to powerful and influential clans. Each of them was a high-ranking elder!
After the battle in the Red Dust Star Sea, Xiong Shan was also promoted to become a member of the Elders Council.

He would greet the elders of each tribe when he passed by, and most of them would respond politely, a stark contrast to their previous disdainful attitude, mainly because of his strength.

"Bang bang~~"

A gong sounded on the stage, and the five chief elders took their places.

"Silence! Everyone, please sit down and do not make any noise. The Ancestor will be here in a while. Let's discuss the arrangements for dealing with the situation after the spiritual tide."

The elders from all ethnic groups stopped whispering to each other, and the formal meeting began.

This was the first time that Master Xiongshan had participated in such a serious discussion. He listened intently to the voices from all sides and realized for the first time that the pressure faced by holy land-level forces was so immense!

"The Tibetan royal court sent people to negotiate a few days ago, which reignited the dispute between the two sides at the border. More than a hundred cultivators were killed or wounded on both sides, and the situation is currently escalating."

"The Northern Ice and Snow Alliance is demanding that we hand over the traitor, the Snow Lion Clan who joined the Kongsang Sea years ago, and claims that if we continue to harbor him, they will not rule out sending people to take action themselves."

"Several years ago, while we were on an expedition to the Thunderwave Sea, the Holy Land of the Netherworld launched a surprise attack and occupied our void base in the outer world. Now they are further encroaching on our territory, and the garrisoned forces outside the world are urgently requesting reinforcements every day."

"This forced entry into the human cultivation world of Lu, along with the interference of Yin Yang Mystic Ladder and Red Dust Star Sea, disrupted the arrangements of the Confucian Holy Land and was met with joint resistance from the Haoran Holy Land, the Spring and Autumn Sword Sect, and the Taixuan Holy Land, which imposed an industrial blockade on businesses throughout our continent."

"The rogue cultivator, Venerable Burning Fire, Chi Hong, sent a letter the day before yesterday, demanding that we fulfill our agreement and settle the remaining payment for this spiritual tide, specifically requesting a large quantity of the main ingredient of the Earth Spirit Pill, Earth Spirit Spot."

This is fraught with danger, and all of these are major diplomatic issues. If not handled properly, they could lead to huge disputes or even restart the war!
The Star Palace Elders Council was also in a bind, trying to find a solution but feeling powerless because everything was just too complicated.

Fortunately, while they were discussing, Xing Jinshu, the ancestor of the Hundred Clans of the Star Palace, arrived.

As a Nascent Soul stage ancestor, he often possesses far greater decisiveness than his subordinates, handling matters with a wave of his hand and dealing with any consequences as they arise.

The conversation then turned to internal issues.

It's simply a matter of some groups being kicked out and others being stepped on to rise to power. Within the Star Palace, the wheel of fortune turns, and the speed of power shifts is unimaginable.

Fortunately, the bear-man tribe of the Bear Mountain people has made a preliminary rise, and Xing Jinshu personally promoted him and gave him a certain status.

This guy kept bowing and scraping, expressing his gratitude throughout the meeting, which aroused the contempt of many elders.

As the conversation went on, the topic shifted to something else entirely.

"Has the Dark Demon King of the Black Demon Sea returned?"

"Reporting to the Ancestor, the message has been delivered, but the exact time of arrival is still unknown."

"waste!!!"

Xing Jinshu rarely lost her temper, and nearly beat the man to death with a flick of her sleeve. Her cold gaze sent chills down the spines of everyone present.

At that moment, a clear male voice suddenly came from outside the hall:

"Hehehe, why are you so angry, Auntie? You weren't like this ten thousand years ago. Who on earth made you angry?"

Everyone stared wide-eyed at the source of the sound.

Sunlight streamed in through the main gate of the Star Palace, and a figure walked in unhurriedly, bathed in the light.

"It's you?!"

Xing Jinshu suddenly raised her voice and let out a very piercing scream.

Her face was filled with terror, as if she had seen some kind of unparalleled demon. She kept retreating, without even the courage to resist. She was cowardly before the battle even began.

He even shook his head frantically, muttering to himself:

"Impossible, absolutely impossible. You have been asleep for ten thousand years and you actually survived. This is illogical in itself. In addition, your primordial spirit is weak, your physical body is decaying, your divine essence is exhausted and your thoughts are dissipating. You need a huge amount of spiritual medicine to repair it. Why did you come to us so quickly?"

"Why, why?"

Her face contorted, and two transparent horns suddenly sprouted from her head—an ancient and noble symbol of the Protoss race!

Seeing that the visitor was hostile, the patriarch even adopted a battle stance, and the elders on the field scattered in panic, no one daring to provoke this uninvited guest.

Xiong Shan also quietly crouched down to the side and saw the handsome man opposite him with a face like jade and a refined and elegant demeanor. He also heard the surprised exclamation of the Silent Avatar in the Star Mansion.

"True Lord Yuxing? How did he come back to life?" (End of Chapter)