In a distant heavenly palace.
The palace stood amidst endless immortal mist, hidden deep within the clouds like a colossal creature.
Vast celestial music echoed unceasingly.
On nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine steps of the immortal stairway, dragons and phoenixes circled and sang.
A scarlet flame qilin lay upon the high altar, its crimson fire coiling around its body.
The Winged-Dragon God opened its eyes to bring day and closed them to bring night. A seven-colored peacock spread its tail, on each feather, countless eyes shimmered with divine light.
Numerous God Beasts roamed around the outer perimeter of the palace.
Inside the palace, a young boy was carefully wiping the lamps of life.
There were hundreds of them, flickering dimly, densely packed together.
Suddenly, the boy turned and saw that one of the lamps near the top had dimmed.
Its flame was fading, on the verge of going out.
“Holy Progenitor! Holy Progenitor!” the boy cried in fright and ran out.
He arrived before a grand hall.
The hall had no doors, it was a sealed chamber, like a jade tower engulfed entirely in immortal mist.
The mist was so thick that every step sent waves of immortal energy swirling through the air.
“Holy Progenitor, something terrible has happened! Uncle Smasher’s life lamp is dimming, it may soon go out!” the boy shouted, kneeling before the hall.
“Where did Demon-Shattering Heavenly God go?” After a moment of silence, a majestic voice resonated.
The voice was ethereal and vast, seeming to come not only from the hall but from every direction, filling the heavens.
“I don’t know,” the boy replied quickly. “We would never dare question Uncle Smasher’s movements.”
“Do not panic,” the voice said calmly.
The next moment, the Grand Dao’s power descended from the heavens, infinite and profound, manifesting countless daos within the infinite void.
Though no one could be seen inside the hall, endless immortal mist gathered, swirling like a storm.
Then, suddenly, the mist dispersed under the force of Dao’s will, and an image appeared in midair.
Around that image, one could faintly hear the river of fate flowing endlessly.
The image shifted, Demon-Shattering Heavenly God appeared within it.
It was like a mirror, replaying his final moments before vanishing.
He was sitting cross-legged in meditation when, all at once, he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Frowning slightly, he murmured, “The Demon-Sealing Tower has been broken.”
He rose, his aura immense, and with one hand tore open a rift in space.
Then his figure stepped into the void tunnel.
The image followed him as he traveled through the void.
But gradually, mist thickened in the vision until everything was obscured.
Demon-Shattering Heavenly God disappeared entirely.
Nothing could be seen.
The void became empty.
“Hm.” The voice in the hall sounded again.
Then silence returned.
The image shattered, and the palace was once more calm.
“Holy Progenitor, where did Uncle Smasher go?” the boy asked carefully.
“The River of Dao cannot trace his path,” the voice replied evenly.
“How can that be?” the boy said in shock.
“The River of Dao spans all Nine Heavens. Nothing in heaven or earth escapes its reflection. For it to fail means only two possibilities.”
The voice remained steady, reasoning aloud.
“Either there exists a being equal to my own realm who has concealed the heavenly secrets, or Demon-Shattering has gone to a place beyond the River of Dao’s reach.”
When the voice fell silent, the boy dared not speak further.
For he could not even mention beings equal to the Holy Progenitor’s level.
And as for places the River of Dao could not trace, besides the banished Primordial Demon Cave, he knew of none.
Either explanation was far beyond his understanding.
“The Demon-Sealing Tower was destroyed,” the Holy Progenitor continued. “He must have gone to investigate. If I recall correctly, that tower held the Infernal Heart.”
“Yes,” the boy nodded quickly. “By the Immortal Lord’s decree, each of the Twelve Heavenly Gods has their duties. Uncle Smasher was the guardian of the Infernal Heart.”
“Guardian? He placed the Infernal Heart within the Thousand-Ox Dao Court. You think I don’t know?” the voice said coldly.
The boy trembled and pressed his head to the ground.
“This disciple truly doesn’t know! That matter has always been handled by the Immortal Lord.”
“This matter must be connected to the Demon Lord. Go and investigate. I cannot leave here for now,” the voice said indifferently.
“Yes, this disciple will report to the Immortal Lord,” the boy said respectfully.
“Take my token. Without it, you have no authority and no one will heed you.”
A white token floated out from the void.
The boy caught it and sighed in relief.
He bowed deeply and said, “This disciple will take his leave.”
……………
Within the God World, a mountain of immense power pinned the Demon-Shattering Heavenly God beneath it.
Escape was impossible, he could barely even move.
Xu Zimo no longer paid him any attention.
He stretched out his right hand, and the Infernal Heart above poured out torrents of demonic energy toward him.
The Hell-Suppressing Demon Physique seemed to respond to the call, its aura swelling ever stronger.
Crackling sounds filled his body.
The demonic energy gathered and pressed into his chest.
A surge of indescribable power filled him completely.
Previously, the Hell-Suppressing Demon Physique had been merely a shell, but this Infernal Heart was its core, the source of all strength.
As the power boiled through him, Xu Zimo felt his very blood flowing in reverse.
Not only did his physical strength surge, but even his soul and consciousness entered a dark void.
The Five Stages of the Grand Emperor Realm, Xu Zimo now stood in the second, the Void Tribulant stage.
The next stage was God-Unity. To commune and unite with the divine meant the God-Soul would never perish; it could control heaven and earth, move mountains, fill seas, chase the moon, and traverse ten million miles in an instant.
It gave the soul its own divine awareness.
Before this, the soul was unconscious, guided only by the body’s will.
Once communion was achieved, two consciousnesses would form. A primary consciousness, and a secondary one.
These two awarenesses were crucial for advancing later into the Saint Sovereign realm.
When body, soul, and dual consciousness merged as one, every act carried divine essence.
Xu Zimo’s awareness entered the endless darkness.
The Infernal Heart seemed to contain a mysterious force, remnants of ancient demonic daos. Black characters began to appear, floating in the void.
They drifted toward Xu Zimo’s brow, merging into his being.
He sat cross-legged, expression solemn.
More and more meridians and acupoints opened within him.
His power rose sharply, the void twisting around him. As time passed, divine intent erupted skyward.
Xu Zimo slowly opened his eyes, he had reached the third stage of the Grand Emperor Realm, God-Unity Stage.
If one looked closely, they would see his soul had grown hundreds of times stronger.