“ xuán huáng jiè ， wú děng wéi yī qī shēn suǒ zài ， zì rán yào bǎo qí zhōu quán 。” shèng huáng lǐ píng lǐ suǒ dāng rán dào 。
“玄黄界，吾等唯一栖身所在，自然要保其周全。”圣皇李平理所当然道。
"Xuanhuang World, our only shelter, naturally must be protected," Emperor Li Ping said with a sense of righteousness.
“ děng huí qù hòu ， wǒ jiù huì huà bō yī bù fèn yōu zú rén 、 ràng tā men huí guī yōu àn zhī hǎi xìn yǎng 。 jì rán wàn xiān méng bǔ zhuō yōu zú rén 、 zào chéng yōu jiè shī héng ， nà me shèng cháo jiù yī lì chéng dān 。”
“等回去后，我就会划拨一部分幽族人、让他们回归幽暗之海信仰。既然万仙盟捕捉幽族人、造成幽界失衡，那么圣朝就一力承担。”
"Upon returning, I will allocate some of the Dark Clan people to return to the Dark Sea and believe in it. Since the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance has captured Dark Clan people, causing imbalance in the Dark World, the Holy Dynasty will bear this burden alone."
“ bù guò ……”
“不过……”
"But..."
lǐ píng tiào wàng yǎn qián zhè piàn shēn suì de qī hēi hǎi yáng 。
李平眺望眼前这片深邃的漆黑海洋。
Li Ping gazed at the deep, pitch-black ocean before him.
“ yuán lì jīng cuì suī rán hào dà ， dàn shù liàng bì jìng yǒu xiàn 。 bù zhī dào jiū jìng yào duō shǎo yōu zú rén rì yè qí dǎo ， cái néng jiāng yōu àn zhī hǎi fù yuán ？”
“源力精粹虽然浩大，但数量毕竟有限。不知道究竟要多少幽族人日夜祈祷，才能将幽暗之海复原？”
"Although the Essence of Primordial Power is vast, its quantity is limited. I wonder how many Dark Clan people would need to pray day and night for the Dark Sea to be restored?"
yīn shàng rén duì lǐ píng de tài dù yǒu xiē dòng róng ， ér hòu sī cǔn le piàn kè ， huí dá dào ：“ jù nà yōu zú shǒu lǐng suǒ shuō ， tā men zú qún quán shèng shí qī ， chéng yuán zú jì biàn jí zhěng gè dì xià dòng kū shì jiè 。 gū jì zuì shǎo yǒu wǔ shí wàn rén ……”
殷上人对李平的态度有些动容，而后思忖了片刻，回答道：“据那幽族首领所说，他们族群全盛时期，成员足迹遍及整个地下洞窟世界。估计最少有五十万人……”
Yin Shangren was moved by Li Ping's attitude and pondered for a moment before replying: "According to what that Dark Clan leader said, during their peak period, their clan members' footprints covered the entire underground cave world. It is estimated that at least 500,000 people..."
lǐ píng huǎn huǎn dào ：“ kàn lái ， wǒ men duì dài yōu zú rén de fāng shì ， xū yào yì diǎn diǎn gǎi jìn le 。”
李平缓缓道：“看来，我们对待幽族人的方式，需要一点点改进了。”
Li Ping spoke slowly: "It seems we need to improve our approach towards the Dark Clan people."
yīn shàng rén yě shì diǎn tóu tóng yì 。
殷上人也是点头同意。
Yin Shangren nodded in agreement.
“ cǐ cì kǎo chá ， jiù xiān dào zhè lǐ ba 。 wǒ yǒu zhǒng gǎn jué ， wǒ men liǎng sì hū zhú jiàn bèi zhè piàn yōu àn gěi dīng shàng le 。”
“此次考察，就先到这里吧。我有种感觉，我们两似乎逐渐被这片幽暗给盯上了。”
"This investigation will end here for now. I have a feeling that this dark world seems to be keeping an eye on us."
yī zhèn jīn sè guāng máng fù gài lǐ píng shēn qū ， jiāng qí yìng chèn de wú bǐ shén shèng 、 wēi yán 。
一阵金色光芒覆盖李平身躯，将其映衬的无比神圣、威严。
A golden light enveloped Li Ping, making him appear incredibly sacred and dignified.
guāng yǐng bō dòng zhōng ， sì hū shí kōng dōu wèi zhī niǔ qū 。
光影波动中，似乎时空都为之扭曲。
The flickering of light and shadow seemed to distort space-time itself.
xià yī kè ， shèng huáng lǐ píng de shēn yǐng jìng rán píng kōng xiāo shī 、 huí dào le dà qǐ xiǎo shì jiè zhī zhōng 。
下一刻，圣皇李平的身影竟然凭空消失、回到了大启小世界之中。
In the next moment, Emperor Li Ping's figure vanished into thin air and returned to the Small World of Great启.
méi yǒu tōng guò yōu zú rén jì sì 、 dǎo gào chǎn shēng de chuán sòng mén fēi ， ér shì zhí jiē lì yòng le yuán lì jīng cuì jù wǎng de lì liàng 。
没有通过幽族人祭祀、祷告产生的传送门扉，而是直接利用了源力精粹巨网的力量。
Without using a portal generated by Dark Clan sacrifices or prayers, he directly utilized the power of the Primordial Power Web.
“ mù qián ， yuán lì zhī wǎng de lái yuán zhǐ zài dà qǐ 。 ruò shì yǒu zhāo yī rì ， xuán huáng gè dì dōu yǒu yōu zú rén xiàng wǒ qí dǎo ， nà me wǒ biàn kě yǐ jiè zhù cǐ zhōng guān lián 、 suí xīn suǒ yù de chū xiàn zài gè gè dì fāng 。” shèng huáng lǐ píng ruò yǒu suǒ sī dào 。
“目前，源力之网的来源只在大启。若是有朝一日，玄黄各地都有幽族人向我祈祷，那么我便可以借助此中关联、随心所欲的出现在各个地方。”圣皇李平若有所思道。
"Currently, the source of the Primordial Power Web is only in Great启. If one day, people from all over Xuanhuang start praying to me, I can use this connection to appear anywhere at will," Emperor Li Ping mused.
míng bái le yōu zú rén de yì yì zhī hòu ， lǐ píng biàn huàn lái wáng xuán bà 。
明白了幽族人的意义之后，李平便唤来王玄霸。
After understanding the significance of the Dark Clan, Li Ping summoned Wang Xuandao and conveyed his latest strategy for dealing with them.
xiàng tā chuán dá le 、 duì dài yōu zú rén de zuì xīn cè lüè 。
向他传达了、对待幽族人的最新策略。
Apart from continuing to increase the number of Dark Clan people in the Flesh Factory, he also wanted to simultaneously strengthen the normal population of Dark Clan people to ensure sustainable growth.
chú le jì xù jiā dà xuè ròu gōng chǎng zhōng yōu zú rén de chǎn shēng zhī wài ， hái yào tóng bù shí xiàn zhèng cháng yōu zú rén qún de zhuàng dà ， yǐ qī kě chí xù fā zhǎn 。
除了继续加大血肉工厂中幽族人的产生之外，还要同步实现正常幽族人群的壮大，以期可持续发展。
"You need to find a way to extend their lifespans," Li Ping instructed. Wang Xuandao, kneeling on one knee, obediently accepted the task despite not knowing why Emperor Li's attitude had suddenly changed so drastically.
“ zhè lìng wài de yōu zú rén ， nǐ fǎn ér yào xiǎng fǎ bàn fǎ zēng jiā tā men de shòu mìng 。”
“这另外的幽族人，你反而要想法办法增加他们的寿命。”
After Wang Xuandao left, Li Ping called Sun Erlang over and assigned him with leading armies to conquer several underground worlds.
dān xī guì dì de wáng xuán bà ， tīng zhe shèng huáng de zhǐ shì ， suī rán bù zhī dào duì fāng tài dù hū rán rú cǐ jù dà zhuǎn biàn de yuán yīn 。 què yě shì zhōng chéng de jiē shòu le rèn wù 。
单膝跪地的王玄霸，听着圣皇的指示，虽然不知道对方态度忽然如此巨大转变的原因。却也是忠诚的接受了任务。
Sun Erlang, who had been idle for a long time, happily took up his mission.
wáng xuán bà zǒu hòu ， jiē xià lái lǐ píng yòu jiāng sūn èr láng hǎn le guò lái 。
王玄霸走后，接下来李平又将孙二郎喊了过来。
However, unlike what he did with Wang Xuandao, Li Ping continued to ask: "How is Dao Yu of the Taiyin Sect performing recently?"
jiāng shuài jūn zhēng fá jǐ chù dì xià shì jiè de rèn wù jiāo gěi le tā 。
将率军征伐几处地下世界的任务交给了他。
As the fate of Great启 rested solely on Emperor Li Ping's shoulders, as the Heavenly Mandate Holy Emperor of Great启, he was well aware of everything happening in his Small World. Yet, he still asked out of curiosity.
xián le xǔ jiǔ de sūn èr láng xīn rán lǐng mìng 。
闲了许久的孙二郎欣然领命。
Sun Erlang did not hesitate to speak truthfully: "I didn't expect Taiyin Sect to agree with your request." The cold voice of Emperor Li Ping echoed from the throne, devoid of emotion.
jiē zhe ， què méi yǒu xiàng duì dài wáng xuán bà nà bān 、 zhí jiē bǎ tā dǎ fā zǒu ， ér shì jì xù xún wèn 。
接着，却没有向对待王玄霸那般、直接把他打发走，而是继续询问。
"However, that's good. If Great启 falls someday, you going to Taiyin Sect for refuge would be a decent outcome."
“ nà tài yǎn zōng yī shù ， zuì jìn biǎo xiàn rú hé ？”
“那太衍宗伊术，最近表现如何？”
Sun Erlang was stunned and then his face changed: "Master, how can Great启..."
shèng zhāo qì yùn ， jǐn xì lǐ píng yī shēn 。 zuò wéi dà qǐ tiān mìng shèng huáng ， tā zì rán duì dà qǐ xiǎo shì jiè nèi fā shēng de yī qiè dōu liǎo rú zhǐ zhǎng 。 dàn què yī jiù míng zhī gù wèn 。
圣朝气运，尽系李平一身。作为大启天命圣皇，他自然对大启小世界内发生的一切都了如指掌。但却依旧明知故问。
Emperor Li Ping smiled in rare amusement: "How could there ever be absolute victory? Having multiple options is not bad. But this is only limited to you. Do not tell your fellow disciples or sisters about it."
sūn èr láng yě shì bù gǎn yǒu sī háo yǐn mán ， rú shí dào lái 。
孙二郎也是不敢有丝毫隐瞒，如实道来。
"Go now."
“ méi xiǎng dào tài yǎn zōng jū rán dā yìng le nǐ de qǐng qiú 。” lǐ píng bīng lěng de shēng yīn méi yǒu rèn hé gǎn qíng ， huí dàng zài shèng huáng zuò zhōng 。
“没想到太衍宗居然答应了你的请求。”李平冰冷的声音没有任何感情，回荡在圣皇座中。
Sun Erlang left with a mix of fear and unease.
“ bù guò yě hǎo ， ruò shì yǒu zhāo yī rì 、 shèng cháo bài wáng ， nǐ qián wǎng tài yǎn zōng bì nàn yě shì gè bù cuò de jié jú 。”
“不过也好，若是有朝一日、圣朝败亡，你前往太衍宗避难也是个不错的结局。”
Li Ping sat above, the empty throne of Emperor alone in his presence.
sūn èr láng dùn shí lèng zhù ， suí hòu liǎn sè yī biàn ：“ shī zūn ， shèng cháo qǐ huì ……”
孙二郎顿时愣住，随后脸色一变：“师尊，圣朝岂会……”
Although the exploration of the Dark World had lasted only a short time, it had significantly impacted his mental state.
lǐ píng jìng rán shì shí fēn hǎn jiàn de xiào le qǐ lái ：“ shì jiān yòu qǐ yǒu jué duì de shèng suàn ？ duō tiáo hòu lù ， yǒu hé bù kě ？ bù guò jǐn xiàn yú nǐ 。 cǐ shì bú yào shuō yǔ nǐ de shī dì shī mèi 。”
李平竟然是十分罕见的笑了起来：“世间又岂有绝对的胜算？多条后路，有何不可？不过仅限于你。此事不要说与你的师弟师妹。”
"Flying Starlight Grand Array, Fishing Pool..."
“ nǐ qiě qù ba 。”
“你且去吧。”
"My strength has brought me to the brink of Xuanhuang's peak. However, there are too many strange hidden things within the Xuanhuang World. The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance ruling half of Xuanhuang for so long must have a deeper foundation than what is revealed."
sūn èr láng zài huáng kǒng bù ān zhōng lí qù 。
孙二郎在惶恐不安中离去。
"Moreover, in the battle against the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, we need to win quickly. Otherwise, the prolonged conflict among immortals will inevitably cause irreparable damage to this world. It's already a patched-up ship; how can it withstand more?"
lǐ píng duān zuò shàng fāng ， kōng dàng dàng de shèng huáng zuò zhōng zhǐ shèng xià tā yī rén 。
李平端坐上方，空荡荡的圣皇座中只剩下他一人。
As the Heavenly Mandate Holy Emperor, he had much to consider.
suī rán zhè cì yōu jiè de tàn suǒ ， zhǐ chí xù le yī xiǎo huì 。
虽然这次幽界的探索，只持续了一小会。
After deep thought, Li Ping disappeared from the Small World of Great启 and reappeared in the Ninth Mountain State within Xuanhuang.
què duì tā de xīn shén zào chéng le bù xiǎo de chōng jī 。
却对他的心神造成了不小的冲击。
With the protection of Primordial Power Essence, he now had the qualifications to occasionally venture out without overly worrying about his personal safety.
“ fú dù xīng kōng dà zhèn 、 diào yú chí ……”
“浮渡星空大阵、钓鱼池……”
"Ku兽."
“ wǒ de shí lì ， yǐ jīng suàn shì bàn bù zhàn zài le xuán huáng zhī diān 。 rán ér xuán huáng jiè zhōng ， yǐn cáng qǐ lái de gǔ guài tài duō 。 wàn xiān méng tǒng zhì bàn gè xuán huáng zhè me duō nián ， dǐ yùn bì rán bǐ wài miàn xiǎn lù de hái yào shēn hòu 。”
“我的实力，已经算是半步站在了玄黄之巅。然而玄黄界中，隐藏起来的古怪太多。万仙盟统治半个玄黄这么多年，底蕴必然比外面显露的还要深厚。”
Standing mid-air, Li Ping felt the chaotic and disordered space around him.
“ kuàng qiě ， gēn hé wàn xiān méng zhī zhàn ， bù jǐn yào shèng 、 hái yào sù zhàn sù jué 。 fǒu zé ， jīng nián lěi yuè de xiū shì dà zhàn ， bì rán huì duì zhè piàn tiān dì zài dù zào chéng bù kě wǎn huí de chuāng shāng 。 běn jiù shì yī sōu fèng féng bǔ bǔ de pò chuán ， yòu rú hé néng zài jīng dé qǐ zhē teng ？”
“况且，跟和万仙盟之战，不仅要胜、还要速战速决。否则，经年累月的修士大战，必然会对这片天地再度造成不可挽回的创伤。本就是一艘缝缝补补的破船，又如何能再经得起折腾？”
"If my guess is correct, Ku兽 should also be part of the Flying Starlight Grand Array."
shēn wèi tiān mìng shèng huáng ， tā xū yào kǎo lǜ de hái yǒu hěn duō 。
身为天命圣皇，他需要考虑的还有很多。
"In the star sea, dangers lurk everywhere. To successfully navigate it, one must thoroughly investigate and avoid risks along the way."
sī cǔn xǔ jiǔ ， lǐ píng shēn xíng shǎn shuò 、 xiāo shī zài le dà qǐ xiǎo shì jiè zhōng 。
思忖许久，李平身形闪烁、消失在了大启小世界中。
"Ku兽's Eye..."
zài dù xiàn shēn shí ， yǐ jīng shì zài xuán huáng jiè jiǔ shān zhōu nèi 。
再度现身时，已经是在玄黄界九山州内。
A few blurry images flashed through his mind.
yǒu zhe yuán lì jīng cuì hù tǐ ， tā yǐ jīng yǒu zī gé ǒu ěr wài chū 、 bù yòng guò fèn dān xīn gè rén ān wēi le 。
有着源力精粹护体，他已经有资格偶尔外出、不用过分担心个人安危了。
Outside Xuanhuang, in a space called Ku兽's Eye, it seemed they could observe deeper into the vast star sea compared to within Xuanhuang.
“ tiān shòu 。”
“兲兽。”
"Unfortunately, Ku兽 is dead. Finding that unique space can only rely on chance. The star sea is boundless, and the influence of the Immortal Ruins constantly affects everything, making it even harder than searching for a needle in a haystack."
chù lì bàn kōng ， lǐ píng gǎn shòu zhe zhōu wéi hùn luàn 、 wú xù de kōng jiān 。
矗立半空，李平感受着周围混乱、无序的空间。
"The Flying Starlight Grand Array has three out of four revealed. The last one remains elusive."
“ rú guǒ wǒ cāi de méi cuò ， tiān shòu ， yīng dāng yě shì fú dù xīng kōng dà zhèn de yī bù fèn 。”
“如果我猜的没错，兲兽，应当也是浮渡星空大阵的一部分。”
...
“ xīng hǎi zhī zhōng ， wēi jī sì fú 。 xiǎng yào chéng gōng fú dù ， duì qián xíng lù zuò hǎo tàn chá 、 guī bì wēi xiǎn yě shì bì bù kě shǎo de 。”
“星海之中，危机四伏。想要成功浮渡，对前行路做好探查、规避危险也是必不可少的。”
Shaking his head slightly, Li Ping temporarily set aside his thoughts and silently arrived at the headquarters of Lingyuan Sect.
“ tiān shòu zhī yǎn ……”
“兲兽之眼……”
Lingyuan Sect was the largest native force in the chaotic Ninth Mountain State.
nǎo hǎi zhōng shǎn guò yī xiē mó hú de huà miàn 。
脑海中闪过一些模糊的画面。
Its members practiced the Life-Spirit of All Living Beings cultivation technique, seemingly breaking the rule that forbidden techniques cannot be practiced simultaneously. In reality, they were tools for absorbing Primordial Power Essence refined by the sect leader.
zài xuán huáng jiè wài ， yī chù míng wèi tiān shòu zhī yǎn de dú lì kōng jiān lǐ ， bǐ qǐ zài xuán huáng jiè nèi ， sì hū kě yǐ guān cè dào gèng jiā yáo yuǎn de xīng hǎi shēn chù 。
在玄黄界外，一处名为兲兽之眼的独立空间里，比起在玄黄界内，似乎可以观测到更加遥远的星海深处。
Easily bypassing various restrictions, Li Ping followed the Primordial Power Essence's trail and arrived at the underground base of Ingenious Artisan Sage.
“ zhǐ kě xī tiān shòu yǐ sǐ ， xiǎng yào zhǎo dào nà dú tè de kōng jiān ， zhǐ néng quán píng jī yuán le 。 xīng hǎi hào máng ， gèng yǒu xiān xū xī lì shí kè yǐng xiǎng ， bǐ qǐ dà hǎi lāo zhēn hái yào gèng nán 。”
“只可惜兲兽已死，想要找到那独特的空间，只能全凭机缘了。星海浩茫，更有仙墟吸力时刻影响，比起大海捞针还要更难。”
Filled with all kinds of strange components, Ingenious Artisan Sage was busy working there.
“ fú dù dà zhèn ， sì yǒu qí sān ， yǐ jīng lù chū zōng jì 。 wéi yī shèng xià de nà ge ， shǐ zhōng háo wú tóu xù 。”
“浮渡大阵，四有其三，已经露出踪迹。唯一剩下的那个，始终毫无头绪。”
"What is missing?"
“……”
“……”
"Primordial Power, Primordial Power Essence—just two words make a world of difference!"
wēi wēi yáo tóu ， zàn qiě jiāng sī xù yā xià ， qiāo wú shēng xī jiān ， lǐ píng biàn yǐ jīng lái dào le líng yuán jiào de zǒng bù suǒ zài 。
微微摇头，暂且将思绪压下，悄无声息间，李平便已经来到了灵元教的总部所在。
A golden puppet shaped by Primordial Power exploded into fragments, light radiating everywhere.
líng yuán jiào shì jiǔ shān zhōu zhè piàn hùn luàn qū yù de zuì dà běn tǔ shì lì 。
灵元教是九山州这片混乱区域的最大本土势力。
In frustration over the failed experiment, Ingenious Artisan Sage growled and said: "Come here!"
jiào zhòng jiē xiū xíng cāng shēng líng yuán gōng ， kàn shì dǎ pò le fǎ bù kě tóng xiū de guī zé xiàn zhì 、 shí zé tā men dōu shì líng yuán jiào kuí shǒu liàn huà xī shōu yuán lì de gōng jù 。
教众皆修行苍生灵元功，看似打破了法不可同修的规则限制、实则他们都是灵元教魁首炼化吸收源力的工具。
He turned to a female cultivator standing beside him and a whip suddenly appeared in his hand. The female cultivator's expression was emotionless, her eyes lacking the usual liveliness.
qīng ér yì jǔ de rào guò zhǒng zhǒng jìn zhì ， shùn zhe yuán lì qì xī de gǎn yìng ， lǐ píng lái dào le qiǎo gōng jū shì de dì xià jī dì 。
轻而易举的绕过种种禁制，顺着源力气息的感应，李平来到了巧工居士的地下基地。
"Unlike, completely unlike! Not at all like the real Shangguan!"
bǎi mǎn le gè shì gè yàng 、 xī qí gǔ guài de líng bù jiàn ， qí zhōng zhèng zài máng lù bù yǐ de ， zhèng shì qiǎo gōng běn rén 。
摆满了各式各样、稀奇古怪的零部件，其中正在忙碌不已的，正是巧工本人。
Seeing the female cultivator's appearance, Ingenious Artisan Sage grew angrier.
“ jiū jìng chà zài nǎ lǐ le ？”
“究竟差在哪里了？”
Just as he was about to strike with his whip, he suddenly saw the silhouette of the Faceless Emperor in the secret room.
“ yuán lì 、 yuán lì jīng cuì ， liǎng zì zhī chà 、 tiān yuān zhī bié a ！”
“源力、源力精粹，两字之差、天渊之别啊！”
As if a guilty conscience had been discovered, Ingenious Artisan Sage's hand trembled, nearly dropping the whip.
jīn sè yuán lì sù zào de kuǐ lěi pēng de yī shēng zhà chéng suì piàn ， liú guāng sì yì 。
金色源力塑造的傀儡砰的一声炸成碎片，流光四溢。
"Who are you?!"
shì shì shí yàn shī bài le ， qiǎo gōng jū shì yǒu xiē nǎo huǒ 。
似是实验失败了，巧工居士有些恼火。
Ingenious Artisan Sage was both shocked and angry as he glared at Li Ping.
“ guò lái ！”
“过来！”
The puppets in the secret room suddenly came to life, staring at Li Ping.
tā zhuǎn tóu duì zhàn lì zài yī páng de yī wèi nǚ xiū shì lěng hēng dào ， shǒu zhōng yī dào pí biān shū rán chū xiàn 。
他转头对站立在一旁的一位女修士冷哼道，手中一道皮鞭倏然出现。
That day, only one chapter was posted, with some thoughts on the subsequent plot development.
nǚ xiū shì miàn wú biǎo qíng ， yǎn shén gèng bù shì cháng rén bān líng dòng 。
女修士面无表情，眼神更不似常人般灵动。
(End of Chapter)
"Xuanhuang World, our only shelter, naturally must be protected," Emperor Li Ping said with a sense of righteousness.
"Upon returning, I will allocate some of the Dark Clan people to return to the Dark Sea and believe in it. Since the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance has captured Dark Clan people, causing imbalance in the Dark World, the Holy Dynasty will bear this burden alone."
"But..."
Li Ping gazed at the deep, pitch-black ocean before him.
"Although the Essence of Primordial Power is vast, its quantity is limited. I wonder how many Dark Clan people would need to pray day and night for the Dark Sea to be restored?"
Yin Shangren was moved by Li Ping's attitude and pondered for a moment before replying: "According to what that Dark Clan leader said, during their peak period, their clan members' footprints covered the entire underground cave world. It is estimated that at least 500,000 people..."
Li Ping spoke slowly: "It seems we need to improve our approach towards the Dark Clan people."
Yin Shangren nodded in agreement.
"This investigation will end here for now. I have a feeling that this dark world seems to be keeping an eye on us."
"Agreed."
A golden light enveloped Li Ping, making him appear incredibly sacred and dignified.
The flickering of light and shadow seemed to distort space-time itself.
In the next moment, Emperor Li Ping's figure vanished into thin air and returned to the Small World of Great启.
Without using a portal generated by Dark Clan sacrifices or prayers, he directly utilized the power of the Primordial Power Web.
"Currently, the source of the Primordial Power Web is only in Great启. If one day, people from all over Xuanhuang start praying to me, I can use this connection to appear anywhere at will," Emperor Li Ping mused.
After understanding the significance of the Dark Clan, Li Ping summoned Wang Xuandao and conveyed his latest strategy for dealing with them.
Apart from continuing to increase the number of Dark Clan people in the Flesh Factory, he also wanted to simultaneously strengthen the normal population of Dark Clan people to ensure sustainable growth.
"You need to find a way to extend their lifespans," Li Ping instructed. Wang Xuandao, kneeling on one knee, obediently accepted the task despite not knowing why Emperor Li's attitude had suddenly changed so drastically.
After Wang Xuandao left, Li Ping called Sun Erlang over and assigned him with leading armies to conquer several underground worlds.
Sun Erlang, who had been idle for a long time, happily took up his mission.
However, unlike what he did with Wang Xuandao, Li Ping continued to ask: "How is Dao Yu of the Taiyin Sect performing recently?"
As the fate of Great启 rested solely on Emperor Li Ping's shoulders, as the Heavenly Mandate Holy Emperor of Great启, he was well aware of everything happening in his Small World. Yet, he still asked out of curiosity.
Sun Erlang did not hesitate to speak truthfully: "I didn't expect Taiyin Sect to agree with your request." The cold voice of Emperor Li Ping echoed from the throne, devoid of emotion.
"However, that's good. If Great启 falls someday, you going to Taiyin Sect for refuge would be a decent outcome."
Sun Erlang was stunned and then his face changed: "Master, how can Great启..."
Emperor Li Ping smiled in rare amusement: "How could there ever be absolute victory? Having multiple options is not bad. But this is only limited to you. Do not tell your fellow disciples or sisters about it."
"Go now."
Sun Erlang left with a mix of fear and unease.
Li Ping sat above, the empty throne of Emperor alone in his presence.
Although the exploration of the Dark World had lasted only a short time, it had significantly impacted his mental state.
"Flying Starlight Grand Array, Fishing Pool..."
"My strength has brought me to the brink of Xuanhuang's peak. However, there are too many strange hidden things within the Xuanhuang World. The Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance ruling half of Xuanhuang for so long must have a deeper foundation than what is revealed."
"Moreover, in the battle against the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, we need to win quickly. Otherwise, the prolonged conflict among immortals will inevitably cause irreparable damage to this world. It's already a patched-up ship; how can it withstand more?"
As the Heavenly Mandate Holy Emperor, he had much to consider.
After deep thought, Li Ping disappeared from the Small World of Great启 and reappeared in the Ninth Mountain State within Xuanhuang.
With the protection of Primordial Power Essence, he now had the qualifications to occasionally venture out without overly worrying about his personal safety.
"Ku兽."
Standing mid-air, Li Ping felt the chaotic and disordered space around him.
"If my guess is correct, Ku兽 should also be part of the Flying Starlight Grand Array."
"In the star sea, dangers lurk everywhere. To successfully navigate it, one must thoroughly investigate and avoid risks along the way."
"Ku兽's Eye..."
A few blurry images flashed through his mind.
Outside Xuanhuang, in a space called Ku兽's Eye, it seemed they could observe deeper into the vast star sea compared to within Xuanhuang.
"Unfortunately, Ku兽 is dead. Finding that unique space can only rely on chance. The star sea is boundless, and the influence of the Immortal Ruins constantly affects everything, making it even harder than searching for a needle in a haystack."
"The Flying Starlight Grand Array has three out of four revealed. The last one remains elusive."
...
Shaking his head slightly, Li Ping temporarily set aside his thoughts and silently arrived at the headquarters of Lingyuan Sect.
Lingyuan Sect was the largest native force in the chaotic Ninth Mountain State.
Its members practiced the Life-Spirit of All Living Beings cultivation technique, seemingly breaking the rule that forbidden techniques cannot be practiced simultaneously. In reality, they were tools for absorbing Primordial Power Essence refined by the sect leader.
Easily bypassing various restrictions, Li Ping followed the Primordial Power Essence's trail and arrived at the underground base of Ingenious Artisan Sage.
Filled with all kinds of strange components, Ingenious Artisan Sage was busy working there.
"What is missing?"
"Primordial Power, Primordial Power Essence—just two words make a world of difference!"
A golden puppet shaped by Primordial Power exploded into fragments, light radiating everywhere.
In frustration over the failed experiment, Ingenious Artisan Sage growled and said: "Come here!"
He turned to a female cultivator standing beside him and a whip suddenly appeared in his hand. The female cultivator's expression was emotionless, her eyes lacking the usual liveliness.
"Unlike, completely unlike! Not at all like the real Shangguan!"
Seeing the female cultivator's appearance, Ingenious Artisan Sage grew angrier.
Just as he was about to strike with his whip, he suddenly saw the silhouette of the Faceless Emperor in the secret room.
As if a guilty conscience had been discovered, Ingenious Artisan Sage's hand trembled, nearly dropping the whip.
"Who are you?!"
Ingenious Artisan Sage was both shocked and angry as he glared at Li Ping.
The puppets in the secret room suddenly came to life, staring at Li Ping.
That day, only one chapter was posted, with some thoughts on the subsequent plot development.
(End of Chapter)