"The ministers proposed it, and I've also discussed it with the other consorts. We believe that another selection of palace consorts should be held. First, it will further strengthen the sense of belonging among the various realms under Great Yi. Second, it will replenish the Holy King's Palace, and we'll gain a few more new sisters. What does Husband think?"
Cai Yan spoke again with a calm voice.
"You can handle these matters yourselves. Just limit the number of final entrants to no more than one hundred."
Yi Tianxing replied with a faint smile, his tone calm.
Standing at a different level, one naturally viewed things differently. As a cultivator who had reached this height, lifespan was no longer an issue. Over the long years, beauties were always the best companions. For a strong person, having numerous peerless beauties was a right. Yi Tianxing had never intended to be abstinent.
"Husband, rest assured. We'll surely select peerless beauties who can enchant entire nations. You won't be disappointed," Cai Yan said with a gentle laugh.
She looked up toward the void.
Above, the sea of merit surged like an endless tide, obscuring the heavens and sun. Overseeing thirty-two major realms, with a population of more than 500 trillion, and with newborns being born each day, the growth of Great Yi was staggering. The Fortune True Dragon, representing the dynasty's destiny, was growing steadily day by day. Its size had already reached an astonishing 300,000 zhang. Estimates said that the Fortune Dragon grew by fifty zhang per day, and this number continued to increase.
In the future, sixty, seventy, or even a hundred zhang per day might be possible.
And this was golden destiny.
Of course, this was tightly related to the fact that thirty-two realms had become part of Great Yi's territory—earth fortune, heavenly fortune, and human fortune, all united. As the livelihood of the people stabilized and national policies were implemented, fortune quickly accumulated. Every time a people-benefiting policy took effect, the fortune of Great Yi would soar accordingly.
The influence of Eternal Coins had begun to enter a period of explosive growth.
The gathered fortune was steadily increasing without end.
"Ziyang is currently traveling through the Zhenwu Realm with Princess Ying Yuanman of the Great Qin Dynasty. It's said the two are fond of each other, and their feelings have rapidly deepened. In my opinion, why not choose an auspicious date for their marriage? What does Husband think?"
Cai Yan raised another matter.
Yi Ziyang had once followed Fusu to the Great Qin Imperial Dynasty, where he met Princess Ying Yuanman. After some time spent together, they came to admire each other. Both were royal scions of human Destiny Dynasties and had much in common. Yi Ziyang inherited his mother's looks and was undeniably a prodigy among his generation—a true dragon among men—and naturally quite attractive to women.
Ying Yuanman was equally outstanding—unparalleled in beauty and elegance.
Their connection was more than just a political marriage; it was a match of genuine affection. Both Great Yi and Great Qin were happy with the arrangement. The couple had since traveled together through the Zhenwu Realm, which by now had become practically a back garden of Great Yi.
Many Tongtian Pavilion offerings, bounty hunters, and merchants from Great Yi frequently visited the realm. Great Yi's commercial forces were spreading deeply throughout.
Their infiltration of the Zhenwu Realm had reached an advanced stage.
People had begun founding factions—gangs, families, sects—throughout the realm. Many of them secretly originated from Great Yi. Though the original forces of the realm might have noticed some strange things, they had no way of knowing just how much had been influenced.
It could be said that if Great Yi wished it, one command could make the entire Zhenwu Realm change hands overnight.
Yet Great Yi had not acted rashly.
Instead, they continued to infiltrate and probe the surrounding realms.
In the Cosmic Cube Cloud Realm, more than ten Realm Gates had already been discovered—coordinates detected from surrounding regions. These gates didn't just lead to the Zhenwu Realm's neighbors but extended to others beyond. Numerous agents—Dark Hall spies, traveling merchants from major businesses, bounty hunters, Tongtian Pavilion agents—were constantly probing and embedding themselves across the realms.
Time seemed to fly by, but behind the scenes, Great Yi was constantly preparing for the future.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Yi Tianxing let out a sound of surprise in his mind. He immediately instructed Cao Zhengchun nearby:
"Strike the Heavenly Bell. Summon the ministers to the Heavenly Court Hall."
As he gave the command, he began walking toward the court hall.
In his hand appeared a glowing jade talisman. A moment later, a message emerged in his mind:
"The Dark Realm has changed. Do not come. Do not aid. Notify the eternal races—the Dark Realm has changed."
This message had come from the Dark Realm, from White Lotus Celestial Maiden. Though she had left the realm, she had left backdoors and escape methods—coordinates of Realm Gates that would allow her to flee to Great Yi if needed.
Yet now, such a message had arrived.
Even Yi Tianxing was caught off guard.
Over the past ten years, he had spent most of his time consolidating power and cultivation, only maintaining casual awareness of the Dark Realm. He knew that several forbidden zones had risen in rebellion, slaughtering mutated dark monsters and suppressing the chaos. By all logic, they should still be embroiled in intense conflict. After all, the mutated monsters in the Dark Realm were far too numerous to be easily suppressed.
Not to mention, there were hidden hands pulling the strings behind the scenes.
The various forbidden zones should have had the strength to hold the line and even gradually gain the upper hand.
Yet now this sudden message clearly implied that the forbidden zones were on the verge of collapse. Undoubtedly, some external force had interfered—or even worse, something darker was still hidden behind the curtain.
Meanwhile, in the Dark Realm...
The entire realm was enveloped in a sinister black mist, radiating a terrifying aura so oppressive it felt suffocating. Mutated dark monsters roamed everywhere—grotesque, distorted, twisted beyond reason—evoking primal fear.
In one abyssal trench of the Dark Realm, a massive black palace stood at its bottom. The air around it seemed to be swallowed by the palace itself—light bent, shadows deepened, and a chilling silence reigned. The material used to build it was not of the mundane world.
Inside the palace, several figures had gathered.
On the highest throne sat a figure robed in black. His face was veiled in shifting mist, impossible to clearly perceive. He radiated the aura of a god—ancient, terrifying, unknowable. He felt like a pillar of eternal darkness.
On either side sat other powerful beings.
Among them were some familiar faces—several leaders of the Hydra Clan.
One of them was a monk dressed in dark robes with a benevolent aura, despite his eerie nature—none other than Demonic Buddha Wuxin.
Another appeared strange beyond words—her front face was that of a stunning woman, but on the back of her head was the face of a man. The sight sent chills down one's spine.
"We juniors of Eternal Night greet the Dark Moon Demon Lord."
Whether from the Hydra Clan or monstrous talents of Eternal Night, all bowed deeply and respectfully toward the black-robed figure. There was no pretense—the reverence was sincere.
This was strength.
Strength meant status.
They all knew that this Dark Moon Demon Lord was no ordinary figure. In the previous epoch, he had shaken the heavens—a terrifying being of immense power. Even now, though his cultivation had not fully recovered, no one dared be disrespectful.
Within Eternal Night, the highest being was the Abyssal Demon Mother, an eternal and indestructible existence—the origin of Eternal Night itself. Below her were beings known as Half-Step True Eternal and Taboo-level, such as the famed Eternal Night Demon Ancestor, closest to achieving true eternity.
There were also thirteen others of similar rank, each known as a Blood Moon.
Below them stood the Immortal Realm Great Demon Gods, who formed the pillars of Eternal Night.
It's said there were at least 3,000 known Great Demon Gods, each having condensed their Immortal Demon God Pillars. Many had fallen during the last epoch's wars. Some pillars were shattered, never to be restored.
The Dark Moon Demon Lord before them had been one such Immortal Demon God—among the strongest of his kind.
He had once perished, his soul suppressed by the Heavenly Dao. It was only during this epoch's fusion of the Myriad Realms that he had escaped and entered Eternity again, lying dormant in the Dark Realm—and now, he had risen again.