"Besides, by then, my overall combat strength will have already reached the level of weak mixed elemental cultivators!" Cao Ya murmured to himself.

He analyzed that if his own family broke through to the ninth level of Quasi-Saint, their direct combat strength would not be inferior to those who had just entered the weak Mixed Origin realm, which would already be considered the peak of the Six Stars. Currently, they could barely be considered that level.

After all, it is possible to fight the Chaos Serpent. However, it mainly relies on the uniqueness of secret techniques such as the True Phoenix Treasure Technique and the energy within the Niwan Palace world to wear down the serpent. Moreover, its own injuries are far more severe than those of the serpent, which shows that its direct combat power is indeed inferior.

To reach the limit of the ninth level of Quasi-Saint, one can attempt another advancement...

Cao Ya estimated that his counterparts from universes like [Stellar Transformation], [Desolate Era], and [Sacred Ruins] must have also improved, with various magical powers stacked up, truly comparable to the peak of a six-star level!

When the time comes, we will face the Chaos Serpent again, without even needing to reach the stage of the True Phoenix Treasure Technique!

It could fully unleash all sorts of profound mysteries, surging and boundless, forcefully crushing the giant serpent's Book of Destiny!

There's absolutely no need to use techniques like the True Phoenix Treasure Technique to continuously heal the soul and forcibly hold back the Chaos Serpent.

Unless it is the pinnacle of the weak mixed realm, it would force Cao Ya to repeat this scene.

Of course, Cao Ya would not be careless either.

If one truly possesses that ability, one could reach the realm of an unorthodox saint and trigger a calamity...

The heavenly tribulation that tests a weak Primordial Chaos is no ordinary event. Countless have fallen under its influence!

Cao Ya was also certain that many enemies, such as the Chaos Serpent, would seize the opportunity to intercept and kill him, thus ruining his path to enlightenment.

Therefore, Cao Ya thought that if he wanted to achieve the status of a weak mixed-origin master, he must first make his overall strength reach the peak of the six-star level. In fact, the individual achievements of certain extraordinary systems would be no less than those of a weak mixed-origin master!

Otherwise, one cannot have a high degree of certainty in achieving success and attaining the Daoist fruits of a different kind of saint.

Even if we take a step back and encounter an unexpected event, if we have enough strength, we can stop the breakthrough without losing our lives!

Without a doubt, Cao Ya must have possessed formidable strength to undertake such an attempt and to kill such a malicious enemy as the Chaos Serpent.

"However, that's all for the future! Right now, my goal is simply to reach the ninth level of Quasi-Saint!"

Cao Ya smiled slightly, left the edge of the universe, and returned to the northern star sea beyond the celestial realm.

He has already achieved what he needed through this great battle, and now it is time for him to retreat and break through to a higher level.

"Lord Ketu, congratulations! From this day forward, your fame will be on par with that of other saints!"

Emperor Beiji Ziwei and others offered their congratulations.

"Thank you all for your kind words." After the conversation, Cao Ya, while cultivating on Jidu Star, was also on guard against any other powerful enemies launching a sneak attack!

Meanwhile, in all realms, including the celestial realm, the immortal realm, and the underworld, countless immortals, demons, gods, Buddhas, monsters, and ghosts expressed their admiration for the Star Lord of Ketu, "Cao Ya"!

Regardless of whether they are on opposing sides, the terrifying nature of Ketu Star Lord is beyond doubt.

He is in the Quasi-Saint Realm, the most outstanding being throughout history, second to none!

People like the Crimson Pearl Fairy, the Cold Fragrance Goddess, the Heavenly Wounded Star, and the Heavenly Lone Star also held her in high esteem.

"A fine little fellow, with excellent comprehension." Even the saints, such as the Three Sovereigns, Nuwa, the Moral Celestial Venerable, the Primordial Celestial Venerable, the Lingbao Celestial Venerable, Houtu, and the Buddha, all expressed their praise.

To them, Cao Ya, regardless of age or strength, was indeed not formidable.

However, Cao Ya's performance also made the sages feel a sense of appreciation for his talent.

However, Cao Ya had already come this far and already had his own path, which he clearly understood.

Afterwards, if Cao Ya wants to become a saint, he must follow this path, constantly perfect the method, and complete it step by step until he reaches the end and achieves the ultimate sublimation, only then will he be qualified to become a saint.

Their methods were not suitable for Cao Ya, so they could not accept him as a disciple.

Even though Cao Ya and Huoyun Cave had a close connection, and the Three Emperors Daoist had bestowed upon him supernatural powers, he never mentioned taking on disciples. The fundamental methods of Cao Ya and the Three Emperors Daoist were not the same.

"Cao Ya... if he achieves the weak Hunyuan realm, what gift should I give him?"

In her cave dwelling on Ghost Spirit Island in the East Sea of ​​the Immortal Realm, the Holy Mother of Ghost Spirits suddenly fell into deep thought.

In her opinion, barring any unforeseen circumstances, Jidu Xingjun will surely become an unconventional saint!

"Lord Ketu is extremely powerful. Perhaps he can even advance before us!"

Daoist Duobao and Holy Mother Wudang were also amazed.

They are at the ninth level of Quasi-Saint, but have not yet touched the threshold of Weak Primordial Chaos.

The two men considered themselves to be inferior to Ketu Xingjun.

In a contest of combat strength, there's absolutely no chance of them matching Ketu Star Lord! The likely outcome is defeat!

“Junior Sister Ghost Spirit, a good deed you did back then actually helped Lord Jidu rise to power ahead of schedule… The ingenuity of fate is beyond our comprehension.”

The two men remarked that, in their eyes, Cao Ya, with such talent, was bound to grow into a great talent sooner or later.

Of course, because of the Holy Mother of Ghosts, she gave him many of her own creations, "Ghostly Immortal Techniques." At that time, the Holy Mother of Ghosts' cultivation level was far ahead of Cao Ya's, which was of great help to Cao Ya.

But back then, who could have predicted that Cao Ya would possess such ferocious power millions of years later?

The Holy Mother of Ghosts was able to escape the great calamity of the Investiture of the Gods thanks to the gratitude shown by the Star Lord Ketu.

Deep within the sea of ​​stars, on the planet Jidu, where malevolent energy is so dense that it cannot sustain life.

"Buzz..." Within Cao Ya's body, divine power surged, like a cosmic ray, spreading in all directions, covering all the worlds of time and space.

It was hazy and indistinct, as if the universe was being created and stars were being born, only to be completely annihilated and swallowed by a black hole.

This unique imagery, repeated constantly, allowed Cao Ya's power to rise rapidly.

"Hiss." Later on, that black hole even carried a faint sense of fate.

"It's done!" Cao Ya was overjoyed. Finally, his cultivation in the "Cosmic Elixir Scripture" had reached the ninth level of Quasi-Saint.

That understanding of destiny came from both the insights gained during the battle with the Chaos Serpent and reference to the rules of destiny in the [Panlong] universe. Other laws, such as those governing time and reincarnation, also contributed.

How could the "Cosmic Alchemy Classic" be complete without destiny?

The myriad great principles, such as metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, light, darkness, destiny, destruction, life, death, time, space... If one could integrate them all, what fear would there be of not achieving greatness?

However, this is too difficult. Many principles are difficult to grasp, let alone achieve even a minor or major level of mastery.

In reality, Cao Ya doesn't seek to perfect all the laws. He should be secretly happy if he can master a few major paths and aspire to the Saintly Realm.

Initially, he never imagined that he could reach the pinnacle of Quasi-Saint. Even a Great Luo Immortal could only dream of it!

At that time, all they desired was to become celestial beings and attain immortality.

Therefore, Cao Ya kept in mind the kindness of the Holy Mother of Ghosts in transmitting the Dharma, and risked his life during the Great Calamity of the Investiture of the Gods to save the Holy Mother of Ghosts from imminent danger.

Since this was not a breakthrough to the weak Hunyuan realm, there was no great commotion, and outsiders could not detect it, so the so-called obstruction of the path was out of the question.

Basically, if an extraordinary phenomenon that affects the heavens and the earth occurs during the ascension process, then at the very least, one must attain the weak Primordial Chaos realm, or even become a saint!

Over the previous millions of years, the advancement of many important figures was always accompanied by grand symbols.

In the years that followed, beneath the seemingly calm surface of the primordial universe, undercurrents were surging.

Not only in the Earthly Immortal Realm, dynasties changed and demons raged, but even the Heavenly Realm showed signs of chaos.

Many grotto-heavens, except for Nuwa Heaven, Taiqing Dachi Heaven, Yuqing Daluo Heaven, Shangqing Yuyu Heaven, and the Western Paradise, even Lihen Heaven, Xuanbing Heaven, and Jinyao Heaven, are not immune to trouble.

Fortunately, there are not many access points, so as long as they are secured, the situation can be stabilized.

However, in the celestial realm, war raged everywhere, and even the Heavenly Court's orders were largely ineffective.

This also made Erlang Shen famous again. He killed many quasi-saints and great immortals who were killed by his three-pointed double-edged spear.

Due to the great chaos in the Three Realms, countless people died, making the tasks of the Underworld more arduous. Some people with ulterior motives also infiltrated the underworld and caused trouble.

Not only the Ten Kings of Hell, but also Zhu Jiuyin and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, two weak Hunyuan beings, were mobilized to suppress order.

Houtu has not yet shown herself, and is on guard against the demon god lurking in the shadows.

The Underworld, possessing the Six Paths of Reincarnation and involving countless realms, has long been coveted by numerous demons and gods who have forcibly attacked it.

However, Houtu was powerful and had the advantage of being in the Netherworld, which allowed her to repel the Saint Realm and prevent their conspiracy from succeeding.

But times have changed. When the Alliance of Saints targets the Heavenly Way and the Human Way, what's wrong with them also plotting against the Ghost Way?

This is also one of the reasons why Houtu was willing to cooperate with Huoyun Cave. Their interests are aligned in this respect.

Meanwhile, Huoyun Cave and the Underworld cooperated in offense and defense, deterring the mastermind behind the scenes and forcing back the invading demons on multiple occasions.

During this period, Hongjun, the Dao Ancestor, never appeared. He stayed in the Zixiao Palace Daoist temple outside the [Primordial] Universe and within the vast chaos, with the gates tightly closed, as if unaware of the great changes in the Three Realms and the Heavens.

No one knows for sure what Hongjun was planning.

Such fierce conflicts were not involved by the likes of Yangmei Dashen. They lived independently, wandering freely in the primordial world. Why should they participate in the grand scheme of the times?

Because the Ancestral Dragon, Ancestral Phoenix, and Ancestral Qilin have not yet fully recovered and awakened, the three clans of Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin are keeping a low profile.

Of course, there were also a few demons who stood on the side of Heaven and Humanity and showed goodwill. Fire Cloud Cave, the Underworld and other places naturally welcomed them, and the Three Sovereigns and Houtu personally came forward to negotiate with them.

There is also a group of demons who do not help either side, like the Great God Yangmei, who is carefree and unrestrained.

"Buzz." One day, deep within the Fire Cloud Cave, the Five Emperors and others manipulated the formation, which operated as usual.

However, in secret, the Three Sovereigns Daoist had already quietly left, avoiding the gaze of the saints, and escaped from the Earthly Immortal Realm, heading straight for the Netherworld.

Within the Netherworld, a chilling aura pervades, with resentment and malevolent thoughts filling the sky and mixing with the Great Dao, making it impossible to dispel.

The Underworld is naturally the largest power in the netherworld, but besides it, there are also many ghosts active in this realm.

The Three Sovereigns Taoist arrived in the underworld without alerting anyone.

"What a magnificent cycle of reincarnation!" Gazing at the enormous wheel that stretched to the sky in the distance, countless souls, after being judged, entered the cycle of reincarnation to begin a new life. Although the concept of reincarnation was obvious, the mysteries of life and death were also surging. This was not the first time that the Three Emperors Daoist had seen it, and he still couldn't help but admire it.

"I am far superior to Empress Pingxin in terms of her great abilities," the Three Emperors Taoist said with a smile.

Few can compare to Houtu in terms of her contribution to the evolution of the universe!

A little ahead, the phantom of Houtu appeared. Upon hearing this, she shook her head and said, "Heaven and earth need reincarnation. I only succeeded because I got a good deal and gained the favor of the original Heavenly Dao."

Immediately afterwards, Houtu invited the Three Sovereigns Taoists to travel to a secluded location.

Zhu Jiuyin was already here, waiting.

The surviving ancestral witch's face showed a complex expression of excitement and trepidation.

"Everything is ready. The affairs of the underworld will be temporarily handled by the Ten Kings of Hell and the Four Judges. Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva can help to maintain order and prevent any spying." Zhu Jiuyin said.

"It shouldn't take too long—if it succeeds!" said the Three Emperors Taoist.

Houtu pursed her lips, knowing full well that under the constraints of the Heavenly Dao, any actions that disrupt spacetime were forbidden, making it extremely difficult to revive the souls of the dead!

Therefore, the only directions that can be attempted are birth, death, and reincarnation. If there is time to assist in these, that would be the best course of action.

Then, Houtu is the strongest being in the cycle of reincarnation within all the heavens!

While Zhu Jiuyin may not be considered top-tier in the realm of time, his level of weak Hunyuan is not bad either.

The Three Sovereigns Daoist is a complete fusion of the Heavenly Sovereign Fuxi, the Earthly Sovereign Shennong, and the Human Sovereign Xuanyuan. The Dao he has mastered is not just one or two, but also involves life itself.

Even in the art of divination and prediction, the Three Sovereigns Taoist was at the pinnacle of the universe.

Therefore, Houtu sent a message, inviting the Three Sovereigns Taoists to help her and Zhujiuyin revive the Ancestral Witches!

With Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva presiding over the underworld, one can rest assured.

This one of the four great bodhisattvas of Mount Ling is already an unconventional saint. He made a great vow, which was highly recognized by Houtu, who even gave him guidance.

Compared to Buddhism and Mount Ling, Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva is perhaps closer to the underworld.

"Let's begin!" Houtu said calmly, clearing her mind of all distractions.

Before she finished speaking, she waved her hand, and several broken bones flashed out from the open ground in front of her.

These are the remains of the ancestral witch Dijiang. He perished in the past, his body and spirit destroyed. Even his corpse was reduced to just a few bones, which were full of cracks.

The ferocity of the Lich King's Cataclysm is evident.

"With this, things become much easier." The Three Emperors Daoist raised his hand, and immediately, a divine furnace appeared, its flames flickering, yet it possessed no destructive intent, but rather was filled with the aura of life, refining the remaining bones.

"O soul, return!" Houtu's face was solemn as she formed hand seals, invoking the power of reincarnation.

"Drink!" Of the three, Zhu Jiuyin was the most strained. Time flowed by, and the faint phantom of Dijiang could be seen.

"Boom!" Suddenly, the void exploded, and the Great Dao trembled, as if the Heavenly Dao had been enraged.

However, with two Saint Realm experts and one weak Primordial Chaos Realm expert, and without violating the rules of Heaven, their slight reactions are nothing to worry about.

"Bang!" Finally, with the combined efforts of the Three Sovereigns, Houtu, and Zhujiuyin, the broken bones revived and gradually revealed a complete figure with six legs and four wings, as red as a ball of fire. It had no ears, eyes, mouth, or nose, but it revealed the fluctuations of life.

The true spirit belonging exclusively to the Ancestral Witch Emperor Jiang has begun to reunite!

"Um?"

Far away in the Northern Continent of the Immortal Realm, Donghuang Taiyi suddenly felt a jolt in his heart. He picked up the Chaos Bell, gazed at the Netherworld, and his expression quickly darkened.

"Dijiang!"

That familiar aura—Donghuang Taiyi wouldn't mistake it!

"It seems that Fire Cloud Cave and the Underworld have truly formed an alliance." Donghuang Taiyi's eyes turned cold.