154: With double happiness on their minds, the Hidden God Sect held a grand banquet.

The style of Yaochi Heavenly Palace has completely gone awry.

The Myriad Races Assembly, which was originally murderous and ready to beat each other's brains out...

...was forcibly...

...turned into a large-scale blind date and engagement press conference by Li Daoxuan and that opportunistic Ji Family Old Ancestor.

Shi Tian held Fire Spirit's hand, still clutching a half-eaten pork knuckle in his other hand.

Ye Fan held the hand of Purple Moon of Ji, looking honest yet unable to hide his triumphant expression.

The two couples stood there.

They were absolute winners in life.

"Good!"

"Excellent!"

Li Daoxuan sat in the main seat, in a great mood as he watched the harmonious (forced) scene below.

With a wave of his hand, he announced with heroic spirit:

"Since today is so joyous..."

"...then let's not hold back."

"Spread my decree!"

"Move to the Kaoshan Sect!"

"We're going back to our own territory to host a flowing banquet!"

"We'll host the world's Cultivators for three days and nights!"

"Meat and wine for everyone; no one leaves until they're drunk!"

"As for the expenses..."

Li Daoxuan's smiling gaze swept toward the group of shivering Archaic Ancestor Kings in the corner.

"...they will be 'voluntarily' sponsored by our hospitable Primordial Imperial Clan brothers."

"Everyone, applaud!"

Clap, clap, clap—

On the side of the Human Race Cultivators, thunderous applause and cheers nearly blew the roof off Yaochi.

But on the side of the Ancient Myriad Races...

...every face was ashen, their hearts bleeding.

Not only did they have to cede territory, pay reparations, and act as guard dogs...

...but now they even had to pay for someone else's wedding banquet?

Is this something a human would do?!

This is psychological warfare!

But...

...looking at the Fire Poker swaying at Li Daoxuan's waist...

...they were furious but dared not speak out.

They could only hold back tears, force smiles uglier than crying, and applaud frantically.

"The Emperor is magnanimous!"

"It is our... greatest honor!"

...Half an hour later.

Kaoshan Sect, Main Peak Square.

The place had completely changed.

The once quiet Sect was now decorated with lanterns and streamers, with red silk fluttering.

Tens of thousands of tables and chairs stretched from the mountaintop to the base.

It was a true flowing banquet.

Furthermore, it wasn't just the Human Race attending.

There were also those Ancient Creatures who had been beaten into submission.

Though they were extremely unwilling, to save their lives, they still had to carry bags of congratulatory gifts and line up to pay their respects.

"The Golden Family presents 10,000 jin of Top-grade Divine Source! Wishing the couple a long and happy life together!"

"Blood Phoenix Mountain presents a pair of Ten-Thousand-Year Blood Ruyi! Wishing the couple children soon!"

"God Silkworm Ridge presents two Nine-Transformation Celestial Silkworm Robes..."

Duan De, who was in charge of receiving gifts, was grinning from ear to ear.

As he skillfully stuffed treasures into his Storage Pouch (taking a cut from everything), he shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Please come in! Please come in!"

"Hey you, brother from the Golden Family, don't just stand there."

"Go and help Fat Aunt start the fire!"

"And you from Blood Phoenix Mountain, give us a light; this stove is a bit damp."

These Archaic Ancestor Kings, usually high and mighty, had now all become errand boys.

Some chopped wood, while others started fires.

The scene was surreal to the extreme.

And in the kitchen, things were even more bustling.

Fat Aunt was showing off her best skills today.

Wielding her butcher knife, she commanded an army of 100,000 'Labor Camp Prisoners' to process the ingredients.

And these ingredients... made all the Ancient Creatures want to cry.

"Come, come, come! Bring out the main course!"

Fat Aunt roared.

Several strong 'prisoners' carried up a massive black pot, dozens of feet in diameter, huffing and puffing.

The lid was lifted.

"Boom!"

A rich, thick aroma of meat instantly swept across the square.

Golden broth bubbled, radiating thousands of rays of light.

Stewing inside were actually... the true forms of the Ancient Creatures killed earlier!

There were wings of Golden-Winged Great Pengs.

There were legs of Primordial Demon Spiders.

And... several segments of golden dragon tails (contributed by Arrogant Dragon).

"This dish is called 'The Dragon and Phoenix Bring Prosperity'!"

Fat Aunt used a large ladle to serve a full basin to every table.

"Everyone, have a taste!"

"This is real Dragon Liver and Phoenix Marrow!"

"It's incredibly nourishing!"

The Human Race Cultivators present stared wide-eyed at the enticingly fragrant meat in their bowls.

Eating the meat of the Primordial Royal Clans?

They wouldn't have dared to dream of such a thing before!

"Let's do it!"

A Loose Cultivator couldn't help himself; he picked up a piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

"Mmm—!!"

His eyes widened suddenly.

"Delicious! It's so delicious!"

"My cultivation... it actually broke through?!"

"Everyone, eat up! This is truly a Divine Medicine!"

For a while...

...sounds of chewing and praise echoed across the square.

Everyone was feasting heartily.

Meanwhile, the representatives of the Ancient Myriad Races sitting on the other side...

...watched their compatriots' meat being served on the table and critiqued by those 'ants'.

Their faces turned green.

Their stomachs churned.

How was this a wedding banquet?

This was clearly a Shura Field!

But Li Daoxuan sat in the main seat, smiling at them.

"What's wrong?"

"Why aren't you brothers using your chopsticks?"

"Is the food not to your liking?"

"No, no, no! It's to our liking! Very much so!"

The Golden Ancestor King shuddered in fear, quickly picked up a piece of meat from some unknown Yao Beast, and stuffed it into his mouth with his eyes closed, pretending to enjoy it.

"It's so fragrant!"

"This taste... is incredible!"

He wept tears of humiliation as he ate.

This meal was definitely the most unforgettable and 'Soul-piercing' meal he had ever eaten... Night fell.

Inside the Kaoshan Sect, the lights were bright.

The bonfire party began.

Young people gathered around the bonfire, singing and dancing.

Shi Tian and Fire Spirit sat together, gnawing on a giant roasted leg, their mouths covered in oil as they giggled occasionally.

Ye Fan and Purple Moon of Ji sat on the edge of a cliff, looking at the moon.

Though they didn't speak...

...their hands remained tightly clasped.

Leng Yanran sat alone on a treetop clutching her swallowing heaven demon jar; though still cold, a rare soft smile played on her lips.

Su Mo was having a drinking contest with several Saints from Holy Lands who wanted to curry favor, with a pile of empty jars at his feet.

Everything...

...was so beautiful.

...so peaceful.

It was as if the conflicts of this chaotic world and the cruelty of the cultivation world had all drifted away at this moment.

Peace...

...seemed to have truly arrived.

Li Daoxuan sat on the roof of the main hall, holding a flask of wine.

He looked down at the scene of laughter and joy.

He watched the heartfelt smiles on his Disciples' faces.

A rare trace of warmth appeared in his eyes.

"This is wonderful."

He murmured softly.

"How great it would be if things could always stay like this."

He raised his wine flask toward the bright moon in a distant toast.

"A toast to this... hard-won peace."

The wine went down his throat.

Pungent, yet with a sweet aftertaste.

However...

...the moment he set down the flask...

"Buzz—"

...the System Radar in his arms began to tremble violently again!

The frequency was more rapid than ever before!

More... fatal!

Li Daoxuan's expression changed instantly.

That trace of warmth receded like a tide.

In its place was an unprecedented... solemnity.

And coldness.

He snapped his head up, looking toward the vast, boundless starry sky.

Deep within the originally brilliant galaxy...

...one... two... countless stars...

...unexpectedly began to dim without warning.

They were extinguished.

Then...

"Rumble—!!!"

A dull roar, like the heart of the Universe stopping, came from the distant Northern Region!

Though separated by hundreds of millions of miles...

...the oppression and despair from the depths of the Soul swept across the entire Central State in an instant!

On the square...

...the laughter stopped abruptly.

The singing and dancing ceased.

Everyone instinctively clutched their chests, feeling a palpitation as if something extremely terrifying was awakening.

"What is... that?"

Ye Fan stood up abruptly, his gaze like lightning as he looked north.

In the direction of the Taichu Ancient Mine in the Northern Region...

...the sky...

...had collapsed.

The pitch-black night sky was suddenly dyed a strange... grayish-white.

That wasn't light.

That was... Death Qi!

Endless Death Qi, enough to bury the heavens and myriad worlds!

Like a tsunami, it erupted from the ancient mine and spread frantically toward the entire Central State!

"Meteors... are falling."

Gai Jiuyou appeared beside Li Daoxuan, his recently restored eyes filled with unprecedented solemnity.

He pointed at the sky.

Enormous stars with long trails of fire fell from the sky, carrying the aura of destruction.

Like the tears of heaven.

Or like... the death knell... of an era.

"It's here."

Li Daoxuan slowly stood up, his white robes fluttering without any wind.

He watched the world being swallowed by the gray Death Qi.

His voice was low and raspy.

Yet it carried a heart-shaking determination.

"The Dark Turmoil..."

"...has begun."