"We've only got nine representatives. There's no need for deception. Just let Yao Yao be the Star Liege," Si Ji said plainly. She thought the choice was obvious.

"Me?" Feng Yao herself didn't mind, but having been Yun Xiao's little follower for so long, she instinctively looked towards him.

It was supposed to be a decision set in stone. Yet, unexpectedly, there was a voice of dissent.

"I shall be the Star Liege," Yun Xiao declared.

His words caught the Three Divas, Wan Ji's seven daughters, and the Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen off guard.

They were still unaccustomed to such a scene where a celestial slave, seemingly placing himself in the position of a Diva, arranged things.

"Stop..." The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen was about to scold him for his audacity when a hand covered her mouth.

This hand, naturally, belonged to the Ice Lineage Diva, Yu Ji.

"Big Sis, what are you doing?" The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen was bewildered.

However, Yu Ji signaled her with a glance.

"Let's step aside for a moment."

Afterwards, she also glanced at Wan Ji and Si Ji, signaling them to follow.

The three of them, puzzled and frowning, walked away into the distant snowstorm.

Meanwhile, Hai Qing and Hai Ying were secretly observing Yun Xiao and Feng Yao. They didn't speak, but there was an odd feeling in their hearts. Who was the slave and who was the master here?

Though they were of good nature, coming from the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, they still had taboos to consider.

The incident at the Southern Divine Dragon Cellar involving Yun Xiao and Feng Yao was spreading rapidly, already tarnishing the reputation of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm.

▬ι══🪦✧⚰

"We only have so many spots and heavily rely on the power of the Extreme Yin Star Barrier. If the Star Liege is defeated, the barrier's power will drop by two-thirds! In such a case, using a slave as a distraction to be the Star Liege is too risky," the Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen said with a frown.

"The Extreme Yin Star is a symbol of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm. No matter what, we can't let a slave become the Star Liege. It's a poor symbol, likely to be ridiculed," Si Ji quietly added.

Yu Ji rolled her eyes, exasperated, "Who said using Yun Xiao as the Star Liege is just a distraction? Among our representatives, he's the greatest variable, has the clearest mind, and perhaps is the strongest in combat..."

"You must be mad," Si Ji finally snapped. Despite her personal opposition, she had respected Yu Ji's decision to include Yun Xiao as a representative and held her peace. "Letting a celestial slave be the Star Liege now?"

"Am I mad?" Yu Ji looked perplexed at the Snow Lineage Diva, her voice tinged with mockery. "Si Ji, you know everything, so why the act?"

"What do I know?" Si Ji was taken aback.

"Heh, still playing dumb? Stop the act," Yu Ji scoffed, "Don’t think I’m unaware of what passed between you and him. How he's helping you achieve boundlessness—do you think we’re blind? If you didn’t trust him, would you have given yourself to him?"

"Shut up!" Si Ji's face turned a fiery red, her frame quivering slightly.

"Boundlessness?" The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen was shocked.

Yu Ji nodded, then turned to Si Ji. "Be honest, how many Calamity Sources have you assimilated now? Ten, or eleven? With your current strength, there aren’t many at the Grand Assembly of Myriad Sects who could rival you, right?"

The Eighth Baptism Realm required assimilating eight Calamity Sources. To become a Boundless Immortal, one had to assimilate another eight, and those at the Burying Heaven grade!

Si Ji felt as if her world had been turned upside down, her most vulnerable self stripped bare. The earlier mockery from the Southern Divine Dragon Realm towards Feng Yao now seemed to mock her too, severely shaking her convictions.

The looks from Yu Ji and Wan Ji only added to her disgrace.

"Si Ji..." Suddenly, Yu Ji grasped her shoulders, saying, "You have no need for guilt. You did it for the future of the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm. We all understand. His peculiar existence, helping you break the chains set by the founders, reaching Boundlessness—that's your destiny. You need to be braver, more bold in admitting it. We all respect you!"

Hearing this, Si Ji's eyes reddened, tears welling up.

"I'm just, just... He's..." Si Ji struggled with the barrier within her heart. What peculiar existence? Yun Xiao was merely a slave. At best, just a cunning, shameless celestial slave.

"You're still pretending?" Yu Ji was exasperated. She patted Si Ji on the shoulder. "Alright, don’t dwell on those shackles. Be brave, be yourself. You’ll be a new monument in the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm!"

With that, she glanced towards Yun Xiao and chuckled, "As for the matter of the Star Liege, deep down, you understand what he’s capable of, right?"

Si Ji appeared lost, still mired in the embarrassment of her secrets being exposed.

Then, Yu Ji turned to the Sea Lineage Diva, Wan Ji, "We've laid it all out, you must have figured it all out by now, right?"

Wan Ji stared at Yu Ji and Si Ji with a gaze as deep as the ocean, her expression odd and probing. She had also scrutinized Yun Xiao closely, suspecting that this young man possessed some secret method that could influence the Ice Lineage Diva. No detail could escape her keen eyes.

Yet, she also didn't understand what Yun Xiao truly signified, only that he could save her daughter—a bizarre and capable genius. Crucially, she had also seen his root of sin.

What more could this boy bring?

She was eager to find out.

Clearing her throat, Wan Ji nodded and declared, "Yes, I understand. Let him be the Star Liege!"

"There, it's settled! You all complicate things too much. Especially you, Si Ji, you’ve always been indecisive since you were a child," Yu Ji said with a knowing smile.

"What exactly is understood here?" The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen was lost in the fog of conversation, surprised that the Three Divas had made a decision so swiftly!

While Si Ji was still drowning in her emotions and hadn't spoken, at least the decision by the other two Divas seemed to finalize matters.

"It's none of your concern. Just keep your eyes peeled, and all your doubts will be cleared," Yu Ji said coolly.

"Huh?" The Ice Cloud Valkyrie Queen was utterly bewildered.

"Just a hint for you." Yu Ji tapped her on the forehead. "You better practice your Ice Spirit Eye!"

With that, she returned to the children, cheerfully announcing the decision to make Yun Xiao the Star Liege.

"Huh?" Hai Qing and the others were just as perplexed.

Glancing at the other two Divas—one wore a deep, mysterious smile, her eyes alight as they rested on Yun Xiao, while the other seemed on the verge of tears, a deep struggle happening within her...

What was going on? Regardless, the matter was oddly settled.

Yun Xiao would be publicly declared as the Star Liege to enhance the defensive capability of the Extreme Yin Star Barrier!

▬ι══🪦✧⚰

The Grand Assembly Arena reached its liveliest moment.

As time marched on, the Grand Assembly Arena braced for war. The once bustling Heavenly Deity Star Street had finally quieted down.

People either returned to the Grand Assembly Arena, ready to join the battle, or headed to the Million Starlight Palace to watch a full-view display of a savage expansion, a war of genius Immortals testing both human nature and intellect.

In the Grand Assembly Arena, every Taiyi Sourcecore hummed with activity. Talented Immortals from all over the Samsara Galaxy, under the guidance of their elders, were in their final rehearsals, deciding on their Star Liege and strategies.

Every Taiyi Sourcecore was a hub of fervent activity, brimming with battle zeal.

The 10,000 Taiyi Sourcecores in the Grand Assembly Arena had already begun to shimmer, and within an hour, the Star Barriers would be fully operational, marking the explosive onset of this simulated celestial war.

In the final hour before the Grand Assembly Arena would close off, barring any further entries into its sealed map, a grand birthday celebration was still underway atop the most majestic Sun-Moon Star Tower on Heavenly Deity Star Street.

The attendees, true to their fearless natures, were giants in the celestial dao, the future of the Heavenly Deity Stellar River.

At the top of the tower, in a hall as dazzling as a starry sky, the splendor was unmatched. Delicacies from mountains and seas filled the tables, fine wines and sumptuous dishes abounded, and beauties from all corners danced and sang. Every nook was a feast for the eyes in this highest of Samsara Galaxy's gatherings.

Beneath the cascading starlight, talented disciples from various celestial sects of the Heavenly Deity Stellar River glittered brightly.

Aside from the great hall, there were private rooms of honor where, it was rumored, many a prodigy from the Heavenly Deity Alliance had come to dine before battle, a testament to the clout of the Southern Divine Dragon’s young master.

These elite prodigies sat in elevated places, beyond the usual reach of ordinary celestial talents.

For an ordinary celestial prodigy to be part of this apex gathering of young Immortals of the Heavenly Deity Stellar River was a boast for a lifetime.

The host’s seat was occupied by the Young Dragon Lord, who resembled a golden mountain standing at ten feet tall! He was already three rounds into his drinks.

The necessities of courtesy and alliances, facilitated by the fine wines from the Southern Divine Dragon's Cellar, especially the Heavenly Dragon Saliva, were all neatly managed.

His presence was commanding; he was astute and meticulous, with an imperial charisma born for such occasions.

When reminded of the time, the Young Dragon Lord nodded and suddenly stood with his cup raised.

His movement brought silence to the Sun-Moon Star Tower.

All the celestial geniuses, slightly flushed yet serene, watched him intently. They all had a sense of what the Young Dragon Lord would say in these final moments.

"My friends—" The Young Dragon Lord, with a voice as booming as a holy dragon and a face increasingly marked by righteous anger, declared, "For years, within the Heavenly Deity Stellar River, there has persisted a most unrighteous tendency. Because of contributions by our ancestors, the Heavenly Deity Alliance has been unable to judge them, allowing such sinister forces to grow ever more bold and disruptive, creating chaos and disasters, leading countless innocents to ruin, their families broken, plunged into abysses!"

With these words, the Young Dragon Lord scanned the room with a cold gaze, his voice fierce, "You all know of whom I speak!"

"He means the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm, right?"

"Of course, who else but the Harmony Divine Palace?"

"If it was in doubt before, it's almost certain with all the rumors of the Supreme Yin Cauldron floating around…"

…

Starting from the corners, a flood of murmurs filled the room.

"Yes! It is them! Noble members of the Heavenly Deity Alliance, yet they commit countless atrocities! Do you know how many innocent men are trafficked, plundered, and taken to the Extreme Yin Celestial Realm each year, each month? Men who could have lived whole lives, yet tragically were reduced to slavery, living a life of despair! Ultimately, they end up as fuel for pills or buried alive!"