In the year 7813 of the Yunzhou calendar, at noon, the sky and earth were bright.

However, the next second, the sky suddenly darkened, and the entire Tianxuan Continent seemed to be plunged into an endless night.

Immediately afterwards, a few seconds later, a purple star and a red star appeared in the dim sky. The two stars faced each other from the east and west, rotating in a circle.

Meanwhile, on the land of Yunzhou, in a magnificent palace, a figure soared into the sky.

He wore a crimson robe with gold dragon patterns, an imperial crown, purple-gold boots, and held the Flaming Dragon Devouring Heaven Sword. His face was majestic and solemn.

Xiao Xuan raised his eyes to look at the sky, then took out a Vermilion Bird jade pendant, using his imperial aura to draw upon the power of the Ziwei Emperor Star and the Vermilion Bird Evil Star to descend to the mortal realm.

Buzz! Buzz!

Two beams of light, one purple and one red, descended from the heavens and entered the Vermilion Bird Imperial Palace.

Boom!

The next moment, the entire imperial palace suddenly trembled, and a golden array slowly rose from the ground, instantly covering an area of ​​a thousand miles.

Phew!

Within the grand formation, a crimson Vermilion Bird spread its wings and soared upwards, accompanied by a sky full of golden flames, shining brightly against the dark night sky.

"Gentlemen, I'm begging you."

Xiao Xuan shouted, then merged with the Vermilion Bird and flew into the great formation.

In the center of the grand formation stands a white jade platform spanning over a thousand meters, covered with densely packed golden runes, mysterious and profound.

Xiao Xuan sat cross-legged in the center of the formation, activated the Vermilion Bird Scripture, and then the Purple Star Emperor Qi and Vermilion Bird Divine Power circulated around Xiao Xuan, transforming into a large crimson cocoon that enveloped his entire body.

Seven days of Nirvana, success will lead to advancement!

"Hahaha, Xiao Xuan, you brat, this is the day I've been waiting for."

"With me here today, you can forget about achieving Nirvana."

Suddenly, a loud, arrogant laugh echoed from the sky.

Immediately afterwards, a dazzling crimson blade of light spread across thousands of miles of heaven and earth, and with a thunderous roar, it cleaved towards the Vermilion Bird Imperial Palace.

Buzz!

The void trembled, and a huge star chart suddenly appeared above the Vermilion Bird Palace, blocking the sword light that was falling from the sky.

"Hmph, such a petty wretch dares to disrupt His Majesty the Xuan Emperor's Nirvana; he's simply courting death!"

The master of the Star-Picking Pavilion snorted coldly, took a step forward, and the power of stars around him intertwined and condensed into a dazzling spear, which he hurled in an instant.

call out!

The spear was incomparably sharp, piercing through the void and instantly breaking the blade's light. It then pierced the attacker's chest, pinning him to the void.

"What! The Lord of the Star-Picking Tower has already reached the sixth level of the Nascent Soul stage!"

"How is this possible? Decades ago, when he first began assisting Xiao Xuan, he was only at the second level of the Nascent Soul stage!"

"Yes! This advancement in cultivation level is far too rapid!"

At this moment, outside the palace, figures appeared on the high-rise buildings and in the void.

These people all possessed powerful auras, mostly Nascent Soul Realm experts, and among them were more than a dozen incredibly powerful auras that were obscure and difficult to discern.

"Hmph, it has been said since ancient times that the Zhaixinglou lineage has a secret method that allows one to cultivate by relying on the dynasty's fortune. Now that the Vermilion Bird Dynasty is thriving and the country is prosperous, it is not surprising that the Zhaixinglou master has broken through four levels of cultivation in just a few decades."

However, if he continues to grow like this, by the time the Vermilion Bird Dynasty unifies the cultivation world of Yunzhou, wouldn't his cultivation level have already reached the Void Realm?

"The Star-Picking Tower lineage is indeed extraordinary!"

"Whether he's extraordinary or not, this brat Xiao Xuan must die today!"

"Indeed, Xiao Xuan is extremely ambitious and his talent is terrifyingly strong, which is unheard of. He has been cultivating for less than a hundred years and is about to enter the Nirvana Realm."

With such talent, if he were given a few hundred more years, where would our sect find refuge in Yunzhou? We would likely have to become lackeys of the Vermilion Bird Dynasty just to survive.

"Then kill them, whether for our common good or for the blood feud of our clans..."

"kill! "

In an instant, dozens of Nascent Soul Realm experts and hundreds of Golden Core Realm cultivators rushed towards the palace, attempting to disrupt Xiao Xuan's Nirvana.

"The Imperial Palace lies ahead; all spirits are forbidden!"

"Those who disobey—will be executed without mercy!"

The Lord of the Star-Picking Tower, clad in a star-patterned robe and with a star disk above his head, stood atop the Imperial Palace. His divine power surged around him, transforming into layers of energy tides that instantly rushed in all directions.

Rumble!

In an instant, the void trembled, and figures flew backward, blood gushing from their chests. Many more exploded on the spot, their bodies annihilating the void.

"Why haven't those Nascent Soul Realm seniors made a move yet? We had an agreement!"

Someone roared.

"Hahaha, the Lord of the Star-Picking Tower is quite arrogant. I, Wu Shang, will have a go at you."

A loud laugh rang out, and a dark blade of light tore through the heavens and earth, slashing vertically downwards.

Under the flash of the blade, the vast void collapsed inch by inch, extending into an extremely long and narrow line that cleaved down onto the imperial palace.

Seeing this, the master of the Star-Picking Tower held up the star chart and silently chanted. The star chart suddenly expanded, extending for thousands of miles, blocking the sword light outside the imperial palace.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The void continued to shatter, and the Lord of the Star-Picking Tower rolled up his sleeves, releasing streams of stellar power.

The starlight and the blade light shattered simultaneously, and the master of the Star-Picking Tower staggered, taking several steps back.

"Wu Shang of Wu Shang City, you actually came too!"

The Lord of the Star-Picking Tower looked solemn. This Ancestor Wushang had been cultivating for over three thousand years and was a seventh-level Nascent Soul cultivator, whose cultivation was one level higher than his own.

"Hehehe, why can't I come?"

Wu Shang sneered, "Today, I'm determined to kill this brat Xiao Xuan. If you try to stop me, I'll ensure that your Star-Picking Tower lineage ceases to exist in this mortal realm."

"Hmph, Ancestor Wushang, you have quite the arrogance."

The owner of the Star-Picking Tower scoffed, "You alone are probably not enough."

"Hehehe, what if we join in?"

At this moment, several more figures swept over, standing in the void outside the Imperial Palace. Their auras were all very powerful, and they were all experts at the Nascent Soul Realm.

The one with the highest cultivation level, like the Old Ancestor Wushang, was at the seventh level of the Nascent Soul stage.

The rest all possessed combat strength at the second or third level of the Nascent Soul stage.

"That's not enough!"

The master of the Star-Picking Tower let out a cold shout, and without further ado, flew directly to the Imperial Palace, yelling, "Activate the formation!"

Buzz!

The next instant, the palace trembled, and a protective array slowly rose up.

The master of the Star-Picking Tower resided in the center of the great formation, his body becoming one with the formation.

With the support of the city's protective formation, his combat power soared, making him comparable to a cultivator at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul stage.

"Hmph, Wu Shang's first move—Heavenly Strike!"

Seeing this, Ancestor Wushang directly wielded a black heavenly blade and unleashed a world-destroying attack. However, the Lord of the Star-Picking Tower simply raised his hand and conjured a giant hand radiating starlight, which blocked the blade's light and then crushed it with a gentle grip.

"Damn it, the Lord of the Star-Picking Tower is protected by a city-protecting formation. His combat power is comparable to a ninth-level Nascent Soul cultivator. Even if we all attack together, we might not be able to break through."

A cultivator at the third level of the Nascent Soul stage cursed angrily.

"No rush. The power of the great formation will eventually dissipate. We will attack together. Besides, we are not the only ones who want to kill Xiao Xuan today."

A cultivator at the fourth level of the Nascent Soul stage narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly.

As expected, the next moment, an extremely powerful aura appeared. The newcomer was wearing a black and white Taoist robe, with a white beard, half of his hair was black and shiny, and the other half was white and malnourished.

His aura spread out, revealing him to be a powerful expert at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul stage.

"Are you the Yin-Yang Demon Lord? Why have you come?"

The Lord of the Star-Picking Tower looked at the newcomer, and even though he was in the center of the great formation, he felt a chill in his heart.

The person in front of me was truly terrifyingly famous.

Yin Yang Demon Lord was born into a righteous sect, but he suffered humiliation at the hands of righteous people in his childhood. After achieving success in cultivation, he slaughtered the entire sect and devoted himself to the demonic path.

This person has an unpredictable temperament, enjoys killing, and the number of people sacrificed by him could pile up into hundreds of mountains.

It was rumored that the Yin-Yang Demon Lord had died five hundred years ago, but no one expected that he would still be alive and appear outside the capital, wanting to kill Xiao Xuan.

"Hehehe, the bloodline of the Vermilion Bird God, it must taste delicious. Perhaps it can even help me break through my limitations, hahahaha..."

The Yin-Yang Demon Lord did not answer the Star-Picking Tower Master's question, but instead turned his gaze to Xiao Xuan in the center of the Vermilion Bird Nirvana Formation, his eyes shining with immense excitement.

The demonic art he cultivated relied on constantly devouring the bloodlines of geniuses to evolve his own bloodline. When he was seriously injured and secluded in a certain large tomb, he encountered Xiao Xuan, this little thief. Unfortunately, he failed to deceive Xiao Xuan at that time and was even tricked out of a precious herb.

But none of that matters anymore. Today I must drink this child's blood, or possess his body and get a new one, hehehehe...

Whoosh!

The Yin-Yang Demon Lord opened and closed his hands, splitting them into two giant black and white pythons.

The giant python coiled and roared, relentlessly attacking the great formation.

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The city's protective formation trembled continuously under the attack of a ninth-level Nascent Soul cultivator, displaying ripples and patterns.

"Why aren't you all following me and attacking!"

The Yin-Yang Demon Lord's gaze swept over the crowd.

"good! "

Several Nascent Soul stage experts responded and took action.

In an instant, the city's protective formation shook even more violently.

"Damn it, why are there so many powerful figures here today?"

The master of the Star-Picking Tower gritted his teeth and desperately mobilized the power of the great formation to resist the crowd.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

At this moment, several more figures emerged from the palace. These were Nascent Soul experts whom Xiao Xuan had invited through his connections and networks to protect him during his Nirvana transformation.

"Hahaha, the Vermilion Bird Dynasty is doomed today!"

Before the people of the Vermilion Bird Dynasty could react, another figure descended from the sky.

His black robes fluttered in the wind as he stood on a large crimson cauldron. With a thunderous crash, he slammed it onto the city's protective array, causing the array to tremble and crack open.

"Oh no, another Nascent Soul Stage 9 expert!"

The master of the Star-Picking Pavilion cried out in surprise, ordering everyone to pour their cultivation into his body to help him maintain the balance of the great formation.

At the same time, his gaze swept over the newcomer, and a chill ran down his spine.

Lord Yanshan, the first prince of the Blood Flame Dynasty, is also the strongest warrior in the Blood Flame Dynasty. He lived in the same era as Yun Anran, but was about a hundred years older than him. He was once hailed as one of the "Five Top Prodigies of Yunzhou" after Yun Anran.

The Blood Flame Dynasty is also one of the two major dynasties in Yunzhou today.

Xiao Xuan himself had no conflict with the Blood Flame Dynasty. It was just that the Blood Flame Dynasty was afraid that once a prodigy like Xiao Xuan grew up, he would become uncontrollable. Therefore, they wanted to sabotage Xiao Xuan's Nirvana plan.

"Hmph, Lord Yanshan, you dare to call yourself a peerless genius? How can you wage such a war over a cultivator who is not even a hundred years old? Aren't you afraid of tarnishing your lifelong reputation?"

The owner of the Star-Picking Tower coldly mocked.

"Hehehe, I am naturally not afraid of the growth of a mere child, but I must obey my imperial sister's orders."

The current Blood Flame Dynasty is ruled by a woman who is also the younger sister of Lord Yanshan. She has been a doting sister since childhood. Although she could have been the emperor herself, she gave the throne to her sister because her sister liked it, and she wholeheartedly assisted her.

"Lord Yeonsan, aren't you afraid that once you've come today, you won't be able to leave?"

The owner of the Star-Picking Tower shouted loudly.

He knew that a mysterious Void Realm expert was hiding inside the palace at that moment.

This is also the source of His Majesty's confidence in this Nirvana.

"Hehehe, the world is vast, I can come and go as I please, who dares to stop me?"

Lord Yanshan laughed loudly, conjuring a pair of fists that seemed to reach the heavens, which slammed violently onto the city's protective formation. Seeing the formation teetering on the brink of collapse under the onslaught, the Lord of the Star-Picking Tower was extremely anxious, but he dared not call upon the hidden senior to intervene.

Because he knew that the senior would only act when he felt it was time to act.

"Sword, come!"

However, just as the city's protective formation was about to break, a sudden shout rang out from the high northwest sky.

Above the void, tens of thousands of longswords formed a dazzling river of swords hanging upside down from the sky.

On that sword river, an old man dressed in a gray robe with white hair and beard, wearing cloth shoes, walked slowly with his hands behind his back.

With each step he took, he covered thousands of miles. In a matter of breaths, he arrived above the Imperial Palace. He raised his hand and pointed, unleashing a torrent of sword energy that resembled a hanging silver river. With a soft thud, he slashed down several Nascent Soul cultivators of slightly lower cultivation levels.

Then, as his eyes opened and closed, countless runes intertwined, transforming into a dazzling giant sword that slashed towards Lord Yanshan.

"drink-- "

"Burn it!"

Lord Yanshan summoned a crimson cauldron, which was extremely heavy, causing the surrounding space to distort and collapse.

Thump!

The giant sword struck the cauldron, causing it to tremble violently and unleash terrifying ripples of pressure that crushed buildings within a radius of thousands of miles.

"Pfft!"

Immediately afterwards, Lord Yanshan's chest trembled, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and his body staggered back dozens of steps.

"Old thief, have you already taken that step?"

Lord Yanshan exclaimed in surprise.

"not yet. "

The old patriarch of Tianjian City shook his head.

Lord Yeonsan breathed a sigh of relief.

The Heavenly Sword City Patriarch said, "It's only taken half a step."

Yeonsan-gun:............

That's good, then at least they can't kill me.

"Today, I, an old man, wielding thirty thousand swords, am willing to guard the South Gate for the Xuan Emperor. Who dares to trespass?"

The patriarch of Tianjian City, wielding a sword for thirty thousand li, stood atop the south gate of the Vermilion Bird Imperial Palace, confronting enemies from all directions.

"Hiss~! That Heavenly Sword City patriarch is damn strong!"

"Alas, with the Heavenly Sword City Ancestor and the Star-Picking Tower Master wielding the city's protective array present today, I'm afraid it will be very difficult for us to kill Xiao Xuan."

"Damn it! What do we do now? Run away?"

"Can't we just escape?"

"Stop trying to run! I know Xiao Xuan all too well. Those who obey him prosper, those who oppose him perish. We've fought this far; if we retreat now, I guarantee that Xiao Xuan will settle scores with us later, killing us and even destroying our families' power."

"This... perhaps we can discuss it?"

"What kind of discussion is this? Are you confused? Have you forgotten the fate of the Tianyu Dynasty? Just because they killed one of Xiao Xuan's lovers, their entire royal bloodline was wiped out, not a single one left. It was a terrible tragedy."

"Then what do we do? Just crash headlong into the sword of that old patriarch of Heavenly Sword City?"

"Damn it, I don't care anymore! That son of a bitch Xiao Xuan, just because one of my lovers poisoned him, he killed all my lovers! Today I swear to avenge this, or I'll be unworthy to be called a human being!"

Today, the entire palace is surrounded.

Hundreds of powerful figures at the Nascent Soul stage or above descended, meaning that almost all the top experts from Yunzhou's leading forces were present, either directly participating or watching from afar.

Some of them had conflicts with Xiao Xuan, some had blood feuds with him, some wanted to hunt him down, others were paid to do so, or perhaps they calculated that if Xiao Xuan grew stronger in the future, he would pose a threat to them...

In short, everyone has their own plans.

However, at this moment, due to the arrival of the Heavenly Sword City Ancestor, they all stopped their attack and hesitated.

........