Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
The day of the Immortal Dao Alliance's establishment arrived as scheduled without much surprise.
On Ethereal Peak, divine light wove together, rosy mist surged, and the ancient beings of the Ethereal Sacred Domain had long since opened up a domain here, with its own inner universe, just like a small world.
Between heaven and earth, Dao sounds intermingled, and the void rumbled and trembled.
One after another, flying boats and jade ships broke through space and descended from all directions; among the pavilions and halls were all manner of figures who had come to observe the ceremony.
It could be said that in the current Vast Expanse, every orthodox force that could make it had sent people here.
Within the domain of Ethereal Peak sat a towering, archaic palace. On the vast and expansive plaza, immortal mist swirled like clouds, ethereal and hazy, while divine mountains and ancient peaks stood all around, with rivers, lakes, and beautiful scenery.
Now, those Dao domain peaks were already crowded with figures. Every civilization and true world had sent representative characters, and even the number of Ancestral Dao Realm existences was not small, though their true bodies were indistinct, situated in the void, as if they did not exist within this space and time.
The four great families of Ethereal Sacred City were responsible for receiving and guiding guests and honored visitors everywhere.
"The Deputy Alliance Leader of the Alliance of Righteous Unity has already arrived and is now at the main seats, apparently accompanied by two Ancestral Dao Realm figures."
"But at this hour, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance has yet to send anyone. Could it really be as speculated, that they intend to stop the establishment of the Immortal Dao Alliance?"
"Under the general trend, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance shouldn't go that far."
"Earlier, some forces noticed movement from the Heaven-Slaying Alliance; they should also have sent high-level members, likely already on the way, though it's unclear which senior figure. That Deputy Alliance Leader Ling Yuling, although banished into the boundless void, seems to have reappeared in the Heaven-Slaying Alliance recently, probably rescued by the Alliance Leader..."
Many places, many people were watching closely; forces and orthodoxies from all sides wanted to know the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's final stance.
In recent days, because of the Black Lotus Cult, the Ethereal Sacred Domain had been far from peaceful. The various great families had also dispatched many experts to clear out those strongholds and temples, but to little effect.
The followers of the Black Lotus Cult spread like a plague, swiftly sweeping across the eight directions and utterly unstoppable.
Later on, the Ethereal Sacred Sect had no choice but to temporarily order strict control over all major cities entering the Ethereal Sacred Domain, planning to slowly settle accounts after the Immortal Dao Alliance's ceremony concluded.
However, as a result, the spread of the Black Lotus Cult became even more terrifying, like ignited willow catkins and dry grass, almost spreading to every corner of the Ethereal Sacred Domain.
In just a few months, the Ethereal Sacred Domain no longer had a single pure land.
The eerie and terrifying nature of the Black Lotus Cult made countless cultivators and living beings tremble with fear.
While they were still discussing how to resist the Dark Clans and resolve the Black Calamity Catastrophe, the Black Lotus Cult suddenly emerged, carrying a strong sense of retaliation from the Dark Clans.
Even many of the clan forces rushing to this Immortal Dao Alliance ceremony were tormented unbearably by this suddenly appearing Black Lotus Cult.
For cultivators at the Dao Realm level, their Dao Fruit is singular and their mental state hard to shake; the teachings of the Black Lotus Cult could not affect them.
But for the younger and middle generations who had not reached this level, it was a terrible calamity.
Orthodox forces of all sides were also trying to find ways to curb this sudden Black Lotus disaster, and cultivators and beings everywhere were investigating the source of the Black Lotus Cult.
Only three days remained until the Immortal Dao Alliance assembly began.
In a certain void space, with a rumbling sound, a black portal appeared, gradually expanding into a tunnel that pierced through time and space.
One ancient warship after another crushed the ripples of spacetime as they descended through it; the archaic banners of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance fluttered, exuding an aura of eternal vicissitude.
Aboard the warships, pavilions, divine islands, and immortal mountains drifted, with cultivators and beings shuttling back and forth, just like a vivid and lively pure land.
"Master, did you know? In the past few days, that Black Lotus Cult has grown more rampant, springing up in many places across the Vast Expanse like bamboo shoots after rain — truly too brazen..."
On an ancient warship, within a serene courtyard.
Gu Changge, dressed in simple white robes with his ink-black hair casually loose, was drinking tea in a pavilion, very relaxed and at ease.
Before him, Yao Yao, in a red dress and peerlessly beautiful, was speaking indignantly, her jade-like face full of fury.
In recent days, if one were to speak of what attracted the most attention across the Vast Expanse, it was undoubtedly this suddenly rising Black Lotus Cult.
Its momentum was so fierce, like a spark setting a prairie ablaze, madly spreading and eroding everywhere.
Yao Yao had stumbled upon a sacrificial ritual of the Black Lotus Cult months ago.
She even happened to take away a Sacred Child of the Black Lotus Cult and was subsequently pursued by the cult.
To this day, that Sacred Child remained within the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
But at that time, Gu Changge did not pay much attention, only saying he would send someone to investigate. As for what was found later, Yao Yao had no idea.
She fretted for a while, worried that the Black Lotus Cult was deliberately targeting the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, and for that reason she even specifically probed some of that Sacred Child's memories, but unfortunately learned nothing.
These matters could only be put aside hastily.
But just in the past few days, all sorts of news about the Black Lotus Cult began spreading wildly across various territories.
Even many within the Heaven-Slaying Alliance were discussing this, wanting to know what background this suddenly appearing Black Lotus Cult had.
The Black Lotus Cult was undoubtedly connected to the Dark Clans most directly, for it preached the doctrine of universal salvation and assimilation with darkness.
Cult followers could ignore the invasion of Dark Matter.
Even more, some followers, due to their firm faith, could be granted so-called holy blood, gaining powerful strength akin to Dark Beings.
Yao Yao had witnessed a Black Lotus Cult ritual with her own eyes and knew clearly that the holy blood came from the cult's so-called Sacred Children.
The blood of the Sacred Children contained sacred power; drinking it allowed ordinary beings to withstand the corrosion of Dark Matter and could temporarily turn some cultivators into Dark Beings, granting them comparable strength.
As for where those Sacred Children actually came from, she still did not know, but she guessed — could it be that their special physiques made them containers for some substance?
"The Black Lotus Cult has indeed been rampant these days."
Gu Changge leisurely sipped his tea, looking as if he didn't take it to heart. "But they won't be jumping around for long."
"Master, aren't you worried that the Black Lotus Cult will be connected to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, and then even you will be suspected by the world, thinking you have ties to the Dark Clans?" Yao Yao raised her face, full of worry.
Even she, so close to Gu Changge and having known him for so long, was stunned for a moment when she saw the Black Lotus Cult's ritual, nearly mistaking the projected Lord of the Black Lotus for Gu Changge.
If other high-level members of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance witnessed this, what would they think?
Would Master then be regarded as colluding with the Dark Clans and become the enemy of the entire world?
"If there's suspicion, they must produce evidence, no? Even you only said that the Lord of the Black Lotus resembles me greatly. Since it's just a resemblance, what's there to worry about?"
"If I were truly the Lord of the Black Lotus, why wouldn't I change my appearance? Why insist on revealing my true face?" Gu Changge smiled faintly.
Yao Yao froze, suddenly speechless.
"Master, am I too foolish..." She sighed faintly.
"Worry leads to confusion; it's human nature." Gu Changge chuckled.
Standing behind him, Yao Yao still couldn't help but ask, "Master, since you know this Black Lotus Cult has malicious intentions, wanting to frame and slander you, why haven't you directly dealt with it?"
At this moment, the emergence of the Black Lotus Cult inevitably made some overthink.
Even she had learned that many territories were growing more chaotic because of the Black Lotus Cult; many clan forces began sending people out to investigate thoroughly and destroy many of the cult's temples and halls.
But the Black Lotus Cult's infiltration was pervasive, leading many clan forces to start suspecting that this was another tactic of the Dark Clans.
Yet why, at that time, did the blurry figure of the Lord of the Black Lotus look so much like Gu Changge? Wasn't this deliberately shifting trouble onto him?
Of course, very few had actually seen Gu Changge's true appearance, only a handful among the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's high ranks.
Yao Yao had been with Gu Changge since her time in the lower realm and was extremely familiar with him.
Thus, when she encountered that sacrificial ritual and vaguely saw the blurry figure of the Lord of the Black Lotus descending, she mistook it for Gu Changge.
"Master, you clearly know about this yourself, yet you don't care at all. What if someone uses this as an excuse to move against you?" Yao Yao felt like a eunuch fretting while the emperor remained calm.
"Now is not the time to act and resolve the Black Lotus Cult."
Gu Changge shook his head slightly, he could only say this; he understood Yao Yao's worries well.
But he couldn't explain such matters to her.
Because the emergence of the Black Lotus Cult was itself a probe against him by some fellows.
The sudden appearance of the Black Lotus Cult across the Vast Expanse and its brazen connection to the Dark Clans were all within expectations.
When Yao Yao rushed back earlier to inform him about this, Gu Changge chose not to act, already guessing what would happen later.
Behind the Black Lotus Cult, in truth, had no relation to the Dark Clans at all.
Now Wu Yue controlled the Heavenly Faction; without her permission, the Dark Clans couldn't possibly pull off such tricks as the Black Lotus Cult.
As for what the Black Lotus Cult itself relied on, it was, in fact, a part of Gu Changge's own power. So it was not at all surprising that the projected figure of the Lord of the Black Lotus resembled him closely.
For now, Gu Changge did not want to bother much with the Black Lotus Cult.
Because no matter how large the Black Lotus Cult grew, it all stemmed from his power; he could reclaim and control it at any time, so why bother?
The Black Lotus Cult itself was bait thrown out by beings like Progenitor Xu to test him.
Only the mastermind behind the Black Lotus Cult might still think they could use this chaotic and turbulent period to harvest a large number of believers and followers, stockpiling power for their own transformation and advancement.
Unknown to them, it could only serve as a wedding gown sewn for others, becoming Gu Changge's chess piece.
Yao Yao only half-understood Gu Changge's words.
"It's about time; we should be arriving at the Ethereal Sacred Domain."
Gu Changge raised his eyes to gaze into the distance.
According to the progress of his sending Jing Tianyun to the Nightmare Demon Domain, Jing Tianyun should have already arrived there by now.
Based on his understanding of Progenitor Xu, since the bait of the Black Lotus Cult failed to force him out, Progenitor Xu would choose another way to test him, and would never truly take the field himself.
That fellow was cautious to the extreme.
Now he had sent Jing Tianyun to the Nightmare Demon Domain, giving Wu Yue sufficient warning.
If that Master of Fate believed in Progenitor Xu's deal and truly moved against the Nightmare Demon Domain, then in this game, he probably would not even have the qualifications to enter the field before instantly collapsing.
Gu Changge had always been clear about Progenitor Xu's intentions.
Otherwise, he would not have bluntly revealed his current identity after meeting that old Daoist from the Heavenly Decline Faction...
He had been setting a trap for Progenitor Xu since then.
And Progenitor Xu had guessed that he was doing this to set a trap, but given his character, he would also suspect whether this was Gu Changge deliberately planting false doubts.
Because Gu Changge had not yet recovered to his peak, he so 'foolishly' exposed his existence early to the Heavenly Decline Faction, thereby making them misunderstand and fear, thinking he was confident and fully backed.
But in fact, Gu Changge might not have recovered, so he could only plant confusion like this, putting on an air of complete indifference.
Among the many mental calculations, it was all adding layers upon layers of scheming; if one layer wasn't enough, then add several more...
Those ultimate ancient figures who had hidden for so long were none of them truly foolish; they had plenty of schemes.
Progenitor Xu and the Master of Fate had already been in contact and cooperation long ago; Gu Changge had noticed this when he discerned the Master of Fate's past.
This founding ceremony of the Immortal Dao Alliance seemed to draw the eyes of all worlds and clan orthodoxies in the Vast Expanse.
But only those who truly understood the truth and grasped the great trends of heaven and earth knew that this was merely a superficial catalyst...
Their true gazes were fixed on the prematurely entering Master of Fate, on Progenitor Xu who controlled the Heavenly Decline Faction and had long accumulated the foundations and destinies of many epochs while lying low, and on Gu Changge, the Alliance Leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
The three largest forces on the surface of the current Vast Expanse were precisely the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, the Alliance of Righteous Unity, and the Dark Clans that had reemerged in the world.
The Dark Clans were ruled by the Heavenly Faction, but the Heavenly Faction itself had long been infiltrated by Progenitor Xu.
Gu Changge had known this when he sensed some of the faint power scattered across the Vast Expanse that he currently possessed.
After all, that was some of the flesh and blood from when he was the Lord of Heaven's Proxy, containing his former power.
And that physical body of his had been slumbering within the Coffin of World Burial ever since the Black Calamity Era ended, yet now a trace of its power had dispersed throughout the Vast Expanse.
This was enough to show that within the Heavenly Faction, there had once been a chaotic upheaval of those coveting his power.
"Alliance Leader, the territory of the Ethereal Sacred Domain is just ahead..."
"Shall we proceed directly?"
Outside the courtyard, White Bone Ancestor King and others came to report and ask.
Beside White Bone Ancestor King, his disciple Mo Tong followed, with grey hair and grey eyes, skin like ice and bones of jade, as if carved from ice and snow, exuding a cold aura that kept strangers away.
Within the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, though people like Zhuo Fengxie and Hun Yuanjun were far inferior in strength to those Ancestral Dao Realm existences who submitted later,
because they had followed Gu Changge the earliest, their seniority was high, so even Ancestral Dao Realm beings treated them with great respect.
And for this trip to the Ethereal Sacred Domain, Gu Changge had White Bone Ancestor King accompany him, entrusting him with many matters.
White Bone Ancestor King had initially been just a 'madman' wandering the Vast Expanse, belonging to no civilization or orthodoxy, drifting with the currents.
But after he decided to follow and submit to Gu Changge to establish the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, it was as if he had been reborn, and he became very dedicated to many affairs of the alliance.
In fact, there were quite a few existences like White Bone Ancestor King in the current Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Their former homelands had shattered and vanished in the Cataclysmic Tribulations, sinking into the River of Years, leaving only them to linger, drifting and slumbering in the Vast Expanse, accompanied only by solitude.
The emergence of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance allowed them to find a meaning for revenge and existence.
"Go straight there, no need to mind anything." Gu Changge's indifferent voice sounded.
Ling Yuling, Chu Heng, and others were now gathering troops and heading toward the border of the Alliance of Righteous Unity as per his earlier instructions.
At this ceremony of the Immortal Dao Alliance, his personal appearance was indeed giving them plenty of 'face'.
It was just right, as a grand play was about to unfold.
If those big fish still chose to hide and avoid, then Gu Changge no longer had the patience to play along with them.
But, this actually wasn't important anymore. Since Gu Changge had already decided to personally 'enter the field', it meant that if no one else made a move on this chessboard, he would choose to end the game, or... directly drain the pond.
If not for considering the fierce battle situation on the Divine Dao Civilization's side, Gu Changge even thought about whether he should also meddle and give this Immortal Dao Alliance ceremony an unforgettable grand gift.