157: Return to the Anti-Alliance, on the Eve of the Storm

Pill Tower Holy Domain, star tower summit.

Xuan Kongzi stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the surging sea of clouds outside the tower, his brows tightly furrowed. A few months ago, Xiao Chen's soul jade slip had once dimmed, its aura weak, filling him with anxiety. Although the jade slip later stabilized, Xiao Chen had yet to return and could not be contacted via communication jade slips, clearly indicating he had encountered extreme danger in the Chaos Sea.

"Teacher, Chen'er, he..." Elder Heavenly Thunder Master, standing beside him, couldn't help but speak, his face full of worry.

"The jade slip isn't broken, which means he's still alive," Xuan Kongzi's voice was steady, but a trace of anxiety in the depths of his eyes was hard to hide. "The Chaos Sea is an ancient forbidden zone, full of unpredictable dangers. Even a Dou Sheng wouldn't dare to venture deep into it easily. Chen'er's journey was too risky."

"It's all for the Anti-Alliance..." Venerable Feng (who had already broken through to the early Seven-Star Dou Zun stage) sighed. "If he hadn't risked his life alone to persuade the Yan Clan and uncover the secret of the Soul Hall's collusion with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, how could we have formed the Anti-Alliance so smoothly? It's just, if he were to...".

Before he finished speaking, the Heavenly Stellar Array around the star tower suddenly fluctuated slightly! An extremely subtle, yet powerful aura, carrying a hint of familiarity and unfamiliarity, was rapidly penetrating layers of spatial restrictions, hurtling towards the star tower!

"Hmm?!" Xuan Kongzi, Heavenly Thunder Master, and Venerable Feng all stiffened simultaneously, their soul power instantly sweeping towards the source of the fluctuation!

They saw a figure in green robes, enveloped in a faint chaotic airflow, his aura as profound as an abyss, yet subtly emanating a heart-palpitating pressure. He tore through space and stepped out, already appearing on the plaza outside the star tower! It was Xiao Chen!

"Chen'er!" Xuan Kongzi's eyes burst with joyful light, and he stepped out of the tower. Heavenly Thunder Master and Venerable Feng followed closely behind.

"Teacher! Elder Heavenly Thunder Master! Venerable Feng!" Seeing the three, Xiao Chen's tense mind finally relaxed, and a tired but relieved smile appeared on his face. After surviving countless perils, he had finally returned to this familiar land.

However, when Xuan Kongzi and the other two felt the unfathomable aura on Xiao Chen up close, an aura that seemed to subtly resonate with the laws of heaven and earth, they were all deeply shaken!

"Eight Star Dou Zun?! And... this aura..." Xuan Kongzi's gaze was like lightning, fixed on Xiao Chen, his voice trembling with disbelief. "You... you've come into contact with Origin Qi?!"

With his Great Perfection of the Heaven Realm soul cultivation, he could clearly feel that the quality of Xiao Chen's Dou Qi had undergone a qualitative transformation, subtly transcending the scope of ordinary Dou Qi, carrying a trace of the essence of all things! This was clearly a characteristic of having come into contact with Origin Qi!

"What?! Origin Qi?!" Heavenly Thunder Master and Venerable Feng were aghast! Origin Qi, that was the legendary source of a Dou Di! Xiao Chen actually found it in the Chaos Sea?

Xiao Chen took a deep breath and nodded, his expression solemn: "Teacher, Elders, this is a long story. My journey to the Chaos Sea this time was a near-death experience. Not only did I encounter a series of assassinations from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, but I also uncovered a shocking secret concerning the survival of the continent!"

He waved his sleeve, setting up layers of soul barriers, and then recounted in detail everything he had encountered in the Chaos Sea, including the assassination attempt by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's Fate Manipulation Division Head, the Primordial Ancient Palace, Origin Qi, and the ancient truth revealed by the ancestor inheritance (the Soul Clan colluding with the Sky Demons, the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's founder suspected to be an extraterrestrial heart demon, etc.).

As Xiao Chen narrated, the expressions of Xuan Kongzi and the other two grew increasingly solemn, until finally, their faces were ashen, their eyes filled with shock and horror!

"The Heavenly Secret Pavilion... was actually founded by an extraterrestrial heart demon?! And behind the Soul Hall's 'Emperor Hunting Plan,' there's a conspiracy to open a passage to the Demon Realm?!" Elder Heavenly Thunder Master's voice was dry, his fists clenched.

"No wonder... no wonder the Soul Hall's actions are so secretive and insane. It turns out they had already betrayed humanity!" Venerable Feng's eyes flashed with killing intent.

Xuan Kongzi remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking, his voice carrying an unprecedented heaviness: "The ancient catastrophe is about to repeat itself... Chen'er, the news you've brought back is too world-shattering. If it spreads, it will surely cause panic on the continent, and might even be exploited by the Soul Hall and Heavenly Secret Pavilion to create chaos."

He looked at Xiao Chen, his gaze profound: "You risked your life to bring back such crucial intelligence; your merit will last for thousands of years! But this matter is too significant; we need to plan carefully and respond cautiously."

"Teacher, disciple understands," Xiao Chen nodded. "The most urgent task is to consolidate the Anti-Alliance, improve our strength, and find a way to thwart the conspiracies of the Soul Hall and Heavenly Secret Pavilion."

"Indeed," Xuan Kongzi nodded. "Since you have already come into contact with Origin Qi, even if it's just a faint wisp, it will have immeasurable benefits for your future impact on the Dou Sheng and even Emperor Realm. The most urgent task is to go into seclusion as soon as possible, digest what you've gained this time, stabilize your realm, and completely refine that Source Qi Origin."

"In addition," Xuan Kongzi mused, "regarding the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, it is not appropriate to make it public for now, to avoid alerting them. However, the core members of the Anti-Alliance need to secretly heighten their vigilance, strengthen their soul defenses, and guard against the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's infiltration and incitement. I will personally communicate with the Flame Emperor, Dragon Emperor, and others."

"Disciple obeys," Xiao Chen responded. He knew that his current strength was not enough to directly contend with the mastermind behind the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, and he had to improve as quickly as possible.

"You should first go into seclusion on the top floor of the star tower. The energy there is most abundant, and with the Heavenly Stellar Array protecting it, it is the safest," Xuan Kongzi arranged. "Once you emerge from seclusion, we will discuss the next steps in detail."

Xiao Chen bowed, said nothing more, and transformed into a streak of light, shooting towards the top floor of the star tower. He indeed needed time to thoroughly digest the immense gains from his journey to the Chaos Sea, especially that wisp of Source Qi Origin and the ancestor inheritance.

Looking at Xiao Chen's disappearing back, Xuan Kongzi and the other two remained silent for a long time.

"Eight Star Dou Zun, coming into contact with Origin Qi... Chen'er's growth speed is simply incredible," Heavenly Thunder Master exclaimed. "Perhaps, he truly is the chosen one, born at the right time... the Son of Destiny?"

"Destiny?" Xuan Kongzi shook his head, his gaze sweeping towards the endless void, carrying a hint of profound meaning. "In this world, what is destiny? It's merely a chessboard for the strong to contend upon. Chen'er is a variable, a hope, but he will also bear the greatest storms. The Heavenly Secret Pavilion... will never let this go."

He turned to Venerable Feng and said, "Feng Xian, transmit my secret order: activate the Pill Tower's highest alert, and secretly investigate all personnel who might have had contact with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. At the same time, in my name, send the highest-level secret message to the Flame Emperor, Dragon Emperor, Sect Master Sect Master of Flower Sect, and Granny Tian Yin, inviting them to the Pill Tower in ten days for an urgent matter."

"Yes!" Venerable Feng solemnly accepted the order.

"The storm is coming," Xuan Kongzi murmured, his eyes flashing with wisdom and determination. "This time, we must win!"

On the top floor of the star tower, Xiao Chen sat cross-legged in the core area where the Power of Starlight was most concentrated. He introspected, sensing the faint but extremely high-quality Source Qi Origin within his body, as well as the vast ancestor inheritance information in his mind.

"The complete Heaven Burning Furnace Art... coordinates of the Origin Qi ruins... information on planar rifts... and the ancestor's insights on impacting the Dou Di realm..." Xiao Chen's heart surged. This knowledge was invaluable, paving his way to the pinnacle.

"The most urgent task is to thoroughly refine the Source Qi Origin, consolidate my Eight Star Dou Zun realm, and attempt to break through to the Great Perfection of the Heavenly Realm Soul!" Xiao Chen set his goals, cleared his mind of distractions, and fully circulated his cultivation art.

Days and months passed unnoticed within the tower; cultivation knew no time.

While Xiao Chen was in seclusion, digesting his gains, and the Anti-Alliance was secretly making meticulous arrangements, the undercurrents on the continent grew increasingly turbulent.

Soul Hall's main hall, in the depths of the netherworld.

Soul Destruction Heaven knelt before an altar burning with black flames. Above the altar, a blurry black shadow, emanating a soul-freezing aura, hovered. It was precisely Hun Tiandi's Projection that had appeared in the Primordial Ancient Palace before!

"Useless! You couldn't even stop a heavily injured Eight Star Dou Zun! And you lost Xuan Mingzi and the Fate Manipulation Division Head!" The black shadow's voice was bone-chilling, filled with towering rage.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" Soul Destruction Heaven trembled all over. "That Xiao Chen, I don't know what method he used, but he was actually able to activate the power of Origin Qi and break through the destiny chessboard... This child has become a major hidden danger!"

"Origin Qi... he actually found it..." The black shadow's voice carried a hint of solemnity and... greed? "It seems the plan must be moved forward."

"Your Majesty, do you mean?"

"Inform the Heavenly Nether Sect and Ice River Valley to activate the 'Blood Sacrifice Plan'! Gather enough ancient bloodlines and soul origins! At the same time, have the Heavenly Secret Pavilion there accelerate the weaving of the 'Web of Destiny'! This Emperor needs... more sacrifices and energy!" The black shadow's voice was filled with madness and the intent to destroy.

"Yes! Your subordinate obeys!" A bloodthirsty glint flashed in Soul Destruction Heaven's eyes.

In a hidden Heavenly Secret secret realm somewhere in the Central Plains.

Inside a colossal palace constructed from countless black and white chess pieces, a figure shrouded in mist, their face obscured, gazed at a water mirror before them. Within the water mirror, the blurry image of the Pill Tower Holy Domain was clearly visible, especially the direction of the star tower.

"A variable... an even greater variable has appeared..." The misty figure uttered in a low voice. "Xiao Chen... you actually managed to sever one of my fate-manipulating clones, and you even brought back the secret of Origin Qi... It seems I can no longer allow you to grow."

He lightly flicked his fingertip, and a black destiny chessboard piece fell into the water mirror, creating ripples.

"Issue the order: activate the 'Soul Corroding' plan, target -- Xiao Chen of the Pill Tower! At all costs, eliminate him before he breaks through to Dou Sheng!"

Invisible commands, one after another, were transmitted through mysterious channels to various corners of the continent. A destructive net, aimed at Xiao Chen and the Anti-Alliance, was quietly tightening.

The storm was already brewing. And Xiao Chen, who had just returned, was about to become the eye of this storm!

Ten days later, in the Pill Tower Holy Domain, a supreme conference that would decide the fate of the continent was about to convene. And Xiao Chen, in seclusion, was also about to emerge. What heights would his strength reach? Could he cope with the coming tempest?

Everything would be revealed in the near future.