Dozens of colossal starships hovered in Earth's outer space, each exceeding a kilometer in length. The longest among them stretched over two kilometers, dwarfing Earth's largest war machines, aircraft carriers, by several times. They hung in the void like mountains suspended between stars.
This immense fleet, stationary in Earth's orbit, blotted out the sun, leading its inhabitants to believe in an alien invasion and causing considerable alarm.
Fortunately, Lin Yun had already relayed the situation back to China. To appease the public, the Chinese government chose not to conceal the news, instead making it public knowledge.
Given the circulation of videos depicting supernatural phenomena online, and the prior release of combat footage showing Zhang Fan's battles on the island, which resembled skirmishes between immortals, the common people on Earth had already grown accustomed to the existence of such extraordinary beings.
"There's a fortuitous opportunity left by a powerful being in the cosmos above Central Siberia, and these aliens have come to Earth to seek it?"
"See, I told you long ago that there must be extraterrestrial life in this universe."
"Grandmaster Zhang is too powerful! Fighting against such odds, that group of aliens was no match for him. Truly magnificent and awe-inspiring."
"Pity, that one-armed alien still managed to escape."
...
Six months had passed since Zhang Fan's last battle. The videos of that confrontation, released and circulated online, had sparked a heated discussion.
A US television station seized this opportunity, using its commercial satellite to lock onto the source of the seven-colored divine light above the Central Siberian Plateau, broadcasting a global live event.
However, due to the illusion array enveloping the area, the viewers could not see Zhang Fan or his companions. Despite this, the broadcast achieved exceptionally high viewership, with billions tuning in, meaning nearly two-thirds of Earth's population was following the live stream.
Lin Haotian and the Boundless Sword Immortal, who had retreated into the Half-Moon Cave Mansion, also kept a close watch on the unfolding events via the internet.
They were not exhilarated by Zhang Fan's victory; instead, their hearts were filled with apprehension. They knew that the Blade Honored One had only brought a small contingent from the treasure-hunting army of the Wushan Starfield.
Now that the opportunity had surfaced, the next arrival of cultivators from beyond the domain would likely be far more formidable.
Despite their worries, their strength was too insignificant compared to those Golden Core realm cultivators. They could offer no assistance and could only wait quietly in the Half-Moon Cave Mansion, offering silent prayers.
...
Meanwhile, on the Central Siberian Plateau, the three individuals enveloped by the formation were cultivating peacefully, undisturbed by the commotion outside.
"Hoo!"
Xue Jing opened his eyes, exhaling a mouthful of rich, blood-red qi. The crimson hue on his face gradually receded, restoring its usual pallor.
"After half a year of secluded cultivation, I have finally mastered this divine ability to perfection. I wonder what its true power is."
Xue Jing murmured to himself for a moment before turning his gaze to Zhang Fan.
At this moment, Zhang Fan's clothes had turned to ash, incinerated by the Black Dragon Flame, revealing his perfectly proportioned physique.
The surrounding snow and ice had melted and evaporated due to the extreme heat emanating from Zhang Fan's body, forming a vast pit. Zhang Fan sat cross-legged in the pit, his body temperature continuously rising. Even proximity to him caused Xue Jing to feel an intense burning sensation, filling Xue Jing with awe at Zhang Fan's physical prowess.
It was truly remarkable that Zhang Fan's body and will could withstand such intense heat.
"I wonder if Master will succeed. If not, this time may be perilous."
Xue Jing's heart was filled with worry. During his own cultivation period, he had continuously monitored the situation outside the formation.
In the past six months, over a dozen batches of Golden Core realm cultivators had attempted to break the formation. At one point, their numbers had reached nearly fifty, a formidable assembly of over forty Golden Core experts. Such a display had indeed astonished Xue Jing.
Had it not been for the illusion array, the combined attacks of over a hundred Golden Core cultivators on the Heavenly Gang Snow Ape Formation would likely have overwhelmed it in mere moments.
With this thought, he shifted his gaze to Lin Yun standing nearby.
Lin Yun had been at the peak of the Golden Core realm for over a thousand years, accumulating immense resources. However, his chances of breaking through the bottleneck and forming an infant soul by relying on the Golden Scale Yuan Breaking Pill gifted by Zhang Fan appeared slim to Xue Jing.
After all, if the Golden Core could be so easily shattered and the infant soul so readily formed, the number of Nascent Soul cultivators in the entire Wushan Starfield would not be so scarce.
It was known that in the Wushan Starfield alone, there were at least tens of thousands of Golden Core realm cultivators, yet the known number of Nascent Soul cultivators was less than a hundred.
Furthermore, Nascent Soul cultivators had lifespans measured in tens of thousands of years, while Golden Core cultivators lived only three thousand years. Even with successive generations, the number of Nascent Soul cultivators remained so low, illustrating the immense difficulty involved.
...
Two months passed swiftly. For the humans on Earth, these two months felt like an eternity of waiting, with their attention fixed daily on the situation above the Central Siberian Plateau.
However, for Daozun and his cohort of Golden Core cultivators, two months was barely enough time for serious secluded cultivation; it was far too brief.
*Whoosh!*
A jet-black starship traversed through space. Aboard this vessel, two figures sat cross-legged in the vast control room.
"We've been traveling for nearly half a year, and we're finally approaching our destination. Tianhua, aren't you skilled at divination? Why is it that every coordinate you deduce is off by thousands of light-years from the fortuitous opportunity? Are you intentionally tricking me?"
A youth clad in black brocade, with nine divine swords strapped to his back, addressed the man opposite him.
The one addressed as 'Tianhua' was a middle-aged man exuding an aura of scholarly refinement. He wore a simple white robe and toyed with nine black beads, each the size of a dragon's eye, in his right hand. The beads flowed through his palm, sometimes transforming into water droplets that rippled with waves, and other times into fireballs that burned with fierce flames, appearing utterly magical.
This refined middle-aged man was precisely True Monarch Tianhua, whom Daozun and the others had been anxiously awaiting.
Upon hearing the youth's words, True Monarch Tianhua offered a gentle smile and replied, "Brother Jiujian, you jest. The art of divination is merely my hobby; I wouldn't call myself skilled. Moreover, with the abilities of True Immortal Zhiwu, how could a mere Golden Core cultivator like myself possibly deduce them?"
"Besides, did I not accurately deduce the coordinates of the opportunity's emergence two months ago?" True Monarch Tianhua stated proudly.
"Wasn't it Daozun who told you?" the youth glanced at True Monarch Tianhua and said indifferently.
"So you saw that..." True Monarch Tianhua's proud expression faltered instantly. However, being a master of pretense, he quickly changed the subject.
"Tell me, what would they think if they knew the renowned True Monarch Jiujian had also arrived at the land of opportunity? Would they band together to deal with you first?" True Monarch Tianhua asked, a hint of a smile playing on his lips as he stared at the youth.
"Don't you have me?" the youth replied nonchalantly.
Although True Monarch Tianhua's combat ability was lacking, his formidable mastery of formations ensured he was an exceptionally troublesome individual.
Given sufficient time to set up his formations, even dozens of Golden Core cultivators could not harm him.
...
ps: Experiencing writer's block, it's quite difficult. I'll only post one chapter today.