Buddha Clan!
When the news of Futu Xuan's defeat returned to the clan, the entire Buddha Clan was thrown into chaos. No one could believe that their Grand Elder would end up in such a state.
That was a Saint Grade Heavenly Sovereign!
From that moment onward, the Buddha Clan's arrogance was shattered. Fear of Liu Xi spread through every branch of the clan, erasing all traces of their former pride.
The Clan Leader of the Buddha Clan sat in silence for a long time before a faint smile finally appeared on his lips.
"Just treat it… as dowry."
With that, he ordered the clan to gather the ransom — two thousand four hundred billion drops of Sovereign Spiritual Liquid. Even for the Buddha Clan, such an astronomical amount could not be gathered at once.
They began liquidating treasures, assets, and industries, even mobilizing various branches to contribute what they could. The Buddha Clan's foundation was vast and ancient — in time, they managed to amass the equivalent of the full ransom's worth in Sovereign Spiritual Liquid, treasures, and industries combined.
Four Heavenly Sovereigns were dispatched to escort the ransom, divided into two groups — one overt, one hidden — to ensure it arrived safely.
It was a fortune even Saint Grades would covet!
Maha Clan!
When the same news reached the Maha Clan, outrage erupted. Many called for the Grand Elder to unleash the clan's sacred treasure, the Yin-Yang Maha Gourd, to hunt down and kill Liu Xi, rescuing their Clan Leader and Second Elder.
Clearly, they hadn't yet learned their lesson from the beating Liu Xi had already delivered.
Fortunately, the Grand Elder was more level-headed. Instead of acting rashly, he ordered the clan to begin gathering the ransom first.
But the cost was staggering — a bleeding wound that would drain the Maha Clan's thousand-year accumulation in one stroke.
Maha Tian's reputation within the clan plummeted to rock bottom. Whispers of his removal as Clan Leader began spreading like wildfire.
By stepping atop the heads of two ancient clans, Liu Xi had truly ascended to the pinnacle of the Great Thousand Worlds. There was no longer a single person who did not know his name.
Ten years ago, Liu Xi was a nobody.
Ten years later, he stood at the peak of creation!
In just a decade, he had become one of the most sought-after and revered figures in all the Great Thousand Worlds.
Even the other three Ancient Clans — the Ancient Spirit Clan, Ancient Terminal Clan, and Ancient Desolate Clan — as well as countless superpowers and divine beast tribes, now regarded Liu Xi as their equal.
No longer as a talented upstart… but as a true peer among giants.
Yet this was still not Liu Xi's true peak. His current cultivation was only that of a Late Immortal Grade Heavenly Sovereign. Once he broke through to the Saint Grade, his strength would increase exponentially — to a level that could rival the ancient emperors themselves.
Figures such as the Ancient Heavenly Emperor, the Nine Tribulations Battle Emperor, and even the legendary Immortal Emperor — they were the ones Liu Xi sought to surpass.
——
Meanwhile, in the southern region of the Great Thousand Worlds.
A young man with a resolute expression emerged from a violent space storm, appearing battered and weary as he descended onto a vast continent.
Like Liu Xi once had, the newcomer found himself weakened upon arrival. The power system of his home plane conflicted with the Spiritual Energy of the Great Thousand Worlds, stripping him of most of his strength.
Fortunately, his cultivation was incredibly high, and as the master of an entire plane, he had the power of that world to draw upon. In time, he stabilized his foundation and began adapting to the new world.
After months of gathering information, he unraveled the structure of the Great Thousand Worlds' Spiritual Energy system. Using his own plane as a conduit, he slowly began to restore his strength.
And during that process, he learned of a name — Liu Xi, known as Qing Lian.
A man who, ten years ago, had ascended from a lower plane just as he had… and in a mere decade had shaken the entire Great Thousand Worlds!
"So there's someone like that here…" the young man murmured, eyes gleaming with determination. "Qing Lian — that can't be his real name. He came from a lower plane… and so did I. If he can do it, so can I."
A confident smile appeared on his face. Though his features weren't striking, that self-assured expression gave him a certain magnetic charm.
"But before that…"
His brows furrowed. Beneath his sleeves, his fists clenched tightly as he exhaled a long breath.
"Qing Tan, Qingzhu… I don't know where the space turbulence carried you, but I'll find you both no matter what."
His voice trembled slightly before hardening again. "And Huanhuan… I've already found your homeland. I'll come for you soon."
Determination burned in his deep eyes — alongside a faint trace of regret.
——
Back to Liu Xi.
He and Qing Yanjing had spent the following days traveling the Western Heaven Continent with Qin Tian and Qing Shan, exchanging stories and insights.
The ransom wouldn't arrive immediately; even for the Buddha and Maha Clans, it would take time to gather such immense wealth.
Liu Xi wasn't about to waste time standing guard over hostages. He had Qing Yanjing construct a Spatial Formation within the surrounding mountains, while he infused it with his Divine Power — shaping a spatial prison to contain the captives securely.
When the ransom arrived, they would be released.
If any of them died before then… Well, that was their own misfortune.
The Western Heaven Continent was vast, yet for Heavenly Sovereigns, it was scarcely more than a stroll.
After a casual tour across the land, Liu Xi's friendship with Qin Tian and Qing Shan deepened. These were not mere allies now — they were brothers-in-arms.
And Liu Xi, ever generous, refined several batches of Spiritual Pills from rare herbs he collected along the way. Every pill was at least 9th Tier, radiant with power.
While 10th Tier Pills required unique conditions and heavenly materials, even a 9th Tier Pill was a priceless treasure to most experts.
Alchemy in the Great Thousand Worlds had never reached the same level as in the Dou Qi Continent. Here, the Art of Spiritual Arrays was far more dominant.
But Liu Xi's craftsmanship redefined their understanding of pill refinement.
At first, Qin Tian and Qing Shan refused the gifts, claiming they hadn't done anything to deserve them. Yet Liu Xi insisted — and once they examined the pills' quality, their hesitation evaporated.
A moment later… the familiar "true fragrance" expression appeared on their faces.
Through this exchange, the bond between them deepened even further — so much so that they nearly swore brotherhood on the spot.
Finally, Liu Xi chose the last destination of their Western Heaven journey:
The Luo God Clan.
He hadn't cared much before, but after winning over Qing Yanjing, things were different.
Before, he had been an outsider.
Now… he was practically family.
And family required proper respect.
When the group arrived at the magnificent Luo God City, the entire city was thrown into uproar. The arrival of so many Heavenly Sovereigns — and Liu Xi among them — made the heavens themselves tremble.
The current Clan Leader, Luo Tianshen, personally led the welcome. Though the Luo God Clan's former glory had faded, the presence of Liu Xi, Qin Tian, and Qing Shan — all renowned Heavenly Sovereigns — filled him with awe.
Overwhelmed and reverent, Luo Tianshen bowed deeply.
"Welcome, honored guests," he said with trembling voice.
The long-fallen Luo God Clan… was about to bask in light once more.
(End of Chapter)
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