A long moment passed.

"I agree," Archimmortal Xiang Fei nodded heavily. She had made her decision and swiftly swore an oath.

"I pay my respects to the Devil Lord," Archimmortal Xiang Fei bowed.

Whoosh!

A token materialized in her palm.

Simultaneously, Wu Yuan vanished from sight.

"Devil Lord?" Archimmortal Xiang Fei stood dumbfounded, staring at the token in her hand.

"Once you control this token, you can channel a strand of the Devil Realm's power. Within the Devil Realm, you'll wield strength at the threshold of an Astral Monarch, gaining the power to command the various realms," Wu Yuan's voice echoed in her mind. "From this day forth, you are my emissary in the Devil Realm.

Roam the Devil Realm, spreading my radiance. [1]

Moreover, you now have the right to enter the Devil Realm's sacred grounds – the Daoist Scripture Realm and the Dao Comprehension Realm.

When you eventually become an Astral Monarch, you'll be qualified to dispatch your mana body and ether body into the outer world on expeditions.

Haha. I've given you the finest cultivation conditions... I look forward to the day you challenge me. Don't disappoint me." Wu Yuan's voice faded completely.

Archimmortal Xiang Fei's heart surged with tumultuous waves of shock.

She swiftly deciphered the token. Upon verifying that Wu Yuan's words were all true, her astonishment only grew.

Devil Lord? Ming Jian?

Archimmortal Xiang Fei murmured.

Just what kind of person are you?

Nevertheless, I promise I will remain loyal until I defeat you.

A gleam flashed in Archimmortal Xiang Fei's eyes.

…

In an instant, Wu Yuan returned to the Devil Subduing Realm, where Big Devil waited.

"Master, do you really intend to treat this Archimmortal Xiang Fei so well?" Big Devil asked. "She's merely a lowly Archimmortal."

"She's different." Wu Yuan smiled. "Perhaps, given the right conditions, she could truly be nurtured into a Sovereign."

"The chances are slim," Big Devil shook his head. "Since ancient times, countless prodigies have appeared, yet their progress was mostly stalled at late-stage Astral Monarch. This Xiang Fei is impressive, but for her to become a Sovereign... It's very, very, very difficult!"

He repeated the word 'very’ thrice.

Wu Yuan understood why. Back then, even with Sovereign Black Devil's full efforts to nurture his subordinates, not a single one among the numerous Astral Monarchs ascended to become a Sovereign. Raising a Sovereign was indeed challenging.

"There's always a glimmer of hope," Wu Yuan smiled.

"Yes, I'll follow Master's orders," Big Devil replied resignedly. As a spirit, he only had the right to dispense advice.

"Master, what about these forty-five?" Big Devil pointed to the distance, where forty-five new names had appeared on the Devil Subduing Tome.

Their animus had been engraved, and they could no longer break free.

"For the powerhouses from the Devil Realm, proceed as usual. Grant them an inheritance from the Sovereign," Wu Yuan instructed.

"As for the powerhouses from the nine major factions of the Dao Realm, have them lay low for now. Don't expose them yet. Instruct them to claim they failed the final test of the eighth trial, while Ming Jian succeeded, thus his true self wasn’t affected. Instruct their mana bodies and ether bodies to self-destruct.

We'll summon the true selves of these Dao Realm powerhouses back to the Black Devil Blood Hollow before I leave the Dao Realm."

"Understood," Big Devil replied.

Wu Yuan's departure from the Dao Realm was at least ten thousand years away, so there was no rush.

If Wu Yuan were to cultivate in the Dao Realm for an extended period, these covertly controlled Dao Realm powerhouses could serve as valuable spies.

Unfortunately, Wu Yuan knew returning would be difficult once he left the Dao Realm, so there was little point in leaving these spies behind.

In the future, through the Devil Subduing Tome, I can even control some of the Voltari Temple's powerhouses.

Wu Yuan pondered silently.

Ordinary soul control techniques had significant flaws. Dao Instruments like the Devil Subduing Tome were exceedingly rare.

...

After giving orders to the dozens of Archimmortals and Archdeities under soul-control, Wu Yuan and Big Devil returned to the Devil Ground.

"Master."

"We pay our respects to Master." Astral Monarch Second Devil, Astral Monarch Ninth Devil, and the other six were already waiting here. These were their mana bodies or ether bodies.

"Master, this is a mid-grade Dao Instrument that I previously controlled called the Phantom Devil River Realm. It possesses offensive capabilities, can be classified as a spatial Dao Instrument, and can conceal auras. I've already erased my aura imprint, so Master can claim ownership," Astral Monarch Second Devil produced a spherical purple artifact with a flip of his palm.

Within the artifact, a vast river seemed to flow faintly.

"A mid-grade Dao Instrument?" Wu Yuan was slightly surprised. Such an artifact was likely one of Second Devil's most precious treasures.

"Master, our mana bodies and ether bodies will hide within the Phantom Devil River Realm, slumbering in the river waters if our assistance is not needed. This way, even a Sovereign might struggle to sense our presence," Astral Monarch Ninth Devil explained.

"Others would find it difficult to discern our presence even through various detection and destiny divination techniques. At crucial moments, if Master faces danger, we can emerge to assist."

"Sure," Wu Yuan nodded.

The mana bodies and ether bodies of the eight devil marshalls entered the Phantom Devil River Realm. Wu Yuan swiftly began to decipher it.

From now onwards, I have another trump card at my disposal.

Wu Yuan smiled.

𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

The most crucial aspect of a trump card was that it remained unknown to the enemy. If the enemy prepared countermeasures in advance, the effectiveness of the trump card would be greatly reduced.

With this, as long as I don't encounter Sovereign-level powerhouses or some extraordinarily formidable Astral Monarchs, my qi refiner self should have no worries.

Wu Yuan felt quite pleased.

This was his qi refiner self, not body refiner self. The chances of encountering a direct attack from a Sovereign-level powerhouse were extremely low.

"Master, are you preparing to leave the Black Devil Blood Hollow?" Big Devil inquired.

"Yes," Wu Yuan replied.

Though the Black Devil Blood Hollow offered a good cultivation environment, receiving spacetime inheritances from the Spacetime Island was more crucial.

Moreover, Wu Yuan still needed to complete more spacetime missions to accumulate spacetime points, enabling him to receive the Dao Master's inheritance.

"Hmm, if Master wishes to become a Sovereign, you indeed need to temper yourself by embarking on expeditions," Big Devil said. "However, a large group of Astral Lords has currently gathered in the Snowlight Mist Realm.

There are roughly a thousand late-stage Astral Lords, many of whom are Astral Lords of Space. They're concealing their auras and waiting near the exit.

It seems the major factions of the Dao Realm have mobilized a force to ambush you, Master," Big Devil said.

"A thousand late-stage Astral Lords?" Wu Yuan was slightly surprised.

What a massive force.

"Can we determine which faction they belong to?" Wu Yuan asked.

The nine major factions of the Dao Realm each had different Sovereigns backing them. With so many late-stage Astral Lords dispatched, there was likely a Sovereign directing this operation.

"It should be the Myriad Waves Palace," Big Devil answered.

"The Myriad Waves Palace? The faction led by Sovereign Mo Lang?" Wu Yuan frowned. He had no prior interactions with this faction.

"Master, the Myriad Waves Palace was once a mortal enemy of our Black Devil Blood Hollow, so it's not surprising that their powerhouses have come to stir trouble," Big Devil explained. "That Sovereign Mo Lang nearly died at Sovereign Black Devil’s hands back then."

"Oh?" Wu Yuan suddenly understood. So there was such a history between the two.

"Master, most of the Blood Hollow array's power was depleted when the grand array was activated to relocate the tens of thousands of Archimmortals and Archdeities from the Snowlight Mist Realm. It will take considerable time to activate it again," Big Devil said.

"However, if Master doesn't wish to engage them, I can send you to the outskirts of the Snowlight Mist Realm without an issue."

"No need. They're just a group of Astral Lords," Wu Yuan said softly. "If they truly intend to cause me trouble, so be it.

Send me out."

In truth, Wu Yuan needed Genesis Power. During the thousands of years spent in the Black Devil Blood Hollow, his Genesis Power had been entirely consumed in the process of refining Faith Power.

Even if this group of Astral Lords hadn't come knocking, Wu Yuan would have sought an opportunity for slaughter. And now, this batch of Astral Lords had conveniently delivered themselves to his doorstep.

I've received Sovereign Black Devil's inheritance. Even if I don't say it, those Dao Realm Sovereigns will likely suspect and target me.

Wu Yuan's gaze turned icy.

I must slaughter them brutally.

Only through intimidation will they fear acting recklessly. Otherwise, when I execute spacetime missions in the future, these Sovereigns might dispatch powerhouses to harass me constantly.

Since I'll have to establish dominance sooner or later, might as well do it early.

Wu Yuan thought to himself.

Whoosh!

Big Devil sent Wu Yuan out of the Black Devil Blood Hollow, back to the Core Region of the Snowlight Mist Realm.

...

In the Core Region of the Snowlight Mist Realm, numerous detection arrays had long been laid out in the vast void.

In the void, and even in the Turbulent Spatial Layer, Astral Lords of Space and other powerhouses waited.

Whoosh!

The moment Wu Yuan appeared, he was instantly detected.

"Ming Jian!"

"He's emerged." The multitude of powerhouses from the Myriad Waves Palace knew their target was here.

1. radiance should be referring to Faith radiance ☜