In the Realm of Fragmentary Star.

Chu Rui’s dharma idol shuttled back and forth between the nine layers of the Nine Star Heavens to absorb and refine his dharma idol with dazzling sparks of condensed star power.

The sparks seemed to dot his dharma idol, making it shine incomparably brightly.

WHOOSH!

His dharma idol flew out of the Nine Star Heavens and into the starry river.

The wisps of starlight that were being channeled to the Realm of Fragmentary Star by the Nine Star Heavens started fusing into his dharma idol instead.

Even the breaths Chu Rui breathed out carried sparks that seemed to be impurities generated during starlight refinement.

If he had intercepted the star power that was being channeled to the Realm of Fragmentary Star before, he would have been disdained and condemned by the board of elders and all disciples.

After all, if he absorbed that star power, the Nine Star Heavens would be compromised, and Fragmentary Star City would fall short of pure star power.

No God domain expert of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace was allowed to steal the power that belonged to the Realm of Fragmentary Star.

After all, the amount of star power God domain experts needed was far too immense.

A God domain expert’s needs could easily destroy the power balance in the Realm of Fragmentary Star, and thus compromise the grand spell formation.

The star power that flowed into the Realm of Fragmentary Star was what allowed the weaker disciples of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace to advance in cultivation and temper their spiritual tools.

But now, even though Chu Rui was openly doing that, no one from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace objected.

Instead, all the sect elders, Son of the Stars, and powerful disciples expressed that they understood.

After all, everyone knew how perilous the situation was. With Ji Cang and Mo Heng away, the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace and even the entire human world was in dire need of late God domain leaders.

Since Chu Rui had what it took to make his breakthrough in cultivation, the sect would of course provide him with all the support possible.

WHOOSH!

Wei Lai suddenly flew out from the Realm of Fragmentary Star, and stopped beside Chu Rui’s dharma idol in the blink of an eye.

Surprised, Chu Rui asked, “What’s going on?”

Face as grim as a cold lake, Wei Lai said, “A portal was split open outside the Heavenly Ice Sect’s Realm of Crystal Snow. All of the powerful Qi warriors in the Realm of Crystal Snow have been slaughtered by Demons. Even Patriarch Icy Crystal, who was at the middle Saint domain, had his domain ripped apart by Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory, and died a miserable death.” His shoulders trembled involuntarily as he spoke.

Chu Rui’s expression flickered drastically. “Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory!”

Wei Lai nodded. “That’s right. The Demons’ newly-awakened Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory is upon us. The Realm of Crystal Snow is only the first victim. I’m afraid the entire Domain of Endless Snow will fall into the Demons’ hands within a short time. Billions of humans in the many realms in the Domain of Endless Snow are facing calamities.”

Chu Rui’s heart grew very heavy.

Since Fan Tianze was in the middle of his attempt to break through to the late God domain, he couldn’t possibly come out of his secluded cultivation any time soon. Ye Wenhan and Ji Yuanquan were only at the early God domain...

Right now, no one other than him among the four great sects could step out and fight Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory. Even so, he didn’t have confidence that he would emerge victorious.

“I’ll go fight him,” Chu Rui said reluctantly.

“Vice Sectmaster!” Wei Lai exclaimed softly. “This is Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory we’re talking about, the late tenth grade grand monarch who died while killing Xuan Yu, the Ice Emperor!”

Chu Rui let out a deep sigh. “I know. But who else can go fight him? Even though he was at the late tenth grade, he revived just recently, didn’t he? It’s unlikely that he was able to return to his peak state within such a short time. I think I’ll have a fighting chance.”

“But still, he was a late tenth grade grand monarch!” Wei Lai said anxiously.

“Whatever. It can only be me.” Chu Rui said.

...

In the Domain of Endless Snow controlled by the Heavenly Ice Sect.

Demon starships sailed among different realms, giving rise to gruesome whooshes like ancient monsters.

Once a starship reached a realm, it would release swarms of Demons that ripped through the realm barrier and descended on the realm riding demonic beasts.

The realms of the Heavenly Ice Sect fell one by one as their disciples died.

Patriarch Snowy Peak, who was at the late Saint domain, madly sent messages to the four great sects while arranging for his forces to evacuate after learning that Patriarch Icy Crystal had died at the hands of the legendary Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory.

However, what he could evacuate were only the core disciples of the Heavenly Ice Sect. The majority of the Heavenly Ice Sect disciples and the commoners were abandoned.

Agonized whines filled every corner of the Domain of Endless Snow.

A few days later, a light boat arrived in the vast starry river in the Domain of Endless Snow, wreathed in glorious starlight. A heaven-shaking voice then echoed through the realms in the area. “This is Chu Rui from the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace. I’m here to challenge Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory to a duel!”

Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory’s resonant voice echoed out from the snow-capped mountains in the Realm of Crystal Snow. “Even though you know you can’t win, you still come to fight me. Yours lives up to the name of ‘ancient great sect.’ Chu Rui, is it? Even if you die in battle, I’ll remember your name. I, Eternal Purgatory, the grand monarch of a mighty race, accept your challenge.”

In the next moment, he, who had ruled the roost throughout the Spirit World for hundreds of thousands of years, charged into the heavens.

Like a pillar of dark purple light, his flesh aura pierced through the realm barrier filled with thick mists in an instant, before spreading towards Chu Rui like overwhelming waves of qi and blood.

From Chu Rui’s point of view, Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory seemed to suddenly transform into the mysterious Blood Purgatory Sea in the Second Demon Realm.

The color of blood quickly filled his entire view.

...

“Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory!”

“Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory of the Demons has revived and appeared in the Domain of Endless Snow!”

“That’s a late tenth grade Demon for heaven’s sake! His arrival will immediately plunge our world into turbulence!”

“Now that all of the peak experts of the four great sects are away, who can stop that late tenth grade Demon?”

Heated discussions took place in almost every stone pavilion, palace, cultivation venue, and secret room that was enveloped in multicolored wards on the seven dead stars that surrounded the Seven Stars Realm Sea.

Not everyone knew about Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory’s revival.

To prevent panic, Dong Li had only secretly informed the four great sects after receiving word of it from Grand Monarch Primal Wood.

Therefore, the heads of the sects from various human domains, who were now gathered in the Seven Stars Realm Sea, were rattled upon hearing of Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory’s sudden arrival in the Domain of Endless Snow.

The Domain of Endless Snow wasn’t far from the Domain of Heaven Python or the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries.

They were only separated by the Domain of Flame’s End.

The existence of the portal in the depths of the Seven Stars Realm Sea would most likely make it the Demons’ primary target.

These experts had thought up every method and paid heavy prices to negotiate with Jing Feiyang and Dong Qisong for the right to establish branches here. Now, they all felt bitter at heart, but couldn’t really complain.

They had handed in tremendous amounts of cultivation resources in order to be allowed to erect those towering stone pavilions on the seven dead stars.

Not only that, but they also had to pay a certain amount of spiritual materials to Nie Tian’s subordinates every year.

They had assumed that this was a wise decision that would earn them the privilege to enter the Void World early after the portal was opened.

Who would have thought...?

“Vice Sectmaster Chu Rui of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace went to the Domain of Endless Snow to challenge Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory to a duel!” The thrilling news soon spread through the anxious human experts, lifting their spirits slightly and making them pay close attention to it.

Dong Li, Li Langfeng, Jing Feiyang, and the others also gave it continual attention.

Yin Xingtian, Yu Suying, and Master Blood Spirit had made breakthroughs in their cultivation successively. They all rushed to the Seven Stars Realm Sea upon learning of Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory’s arrival in the Domain of Endless Snow.

All of them had a feeling that by showing up in the Domain of Endless Snow, the Demons were actually targeting the Seven Stars Realm Sea, Nie Tian, Dong Li, and themselves!

Frowning deeply, Yu Suying, who had advanced to the middle God domain with the help of the Soul-cleansing Origin Elixir, said, “Even though Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory has just revived, Chu Rui might not be able to match him in battle. I fear for his life.”

Yin Xingtian from the Streamcloud Sword Sect nodded slowly. “Me too.”

Glorious sword light sputtered from his eyes as he blinked. Apparently, the Godspan Sword Formation had merged with him completely. Even though he was only at the early God domain, he looked like a god of myriad swords only by standing there.

He, who was only at the early God domain, took a deep breath and said, “I won’t shy from a battle against any Demon grand monarch other than Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory. Even Grand Monarch Bloodlust doesn’t scare me. If someone can hold off Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory, I’m confident that I’ll be able to stop Grand Monarch Remote Demon or Grand Monarch Bloodlust.”

“Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory is also the only one that I’m apprehensive about,” Yu Suying said.

Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory, whose name had inspired fear throughout the Spirit World and the Mortal World for hundreds of thousands of years, was the greatest threat to them. After all, even the humans’ legendary Ice Emperor, Xuan Yu, had died fighting him.

A day later.

A piece of news came from the Domain of Endless Snow, plunging every human into despair.

Vice Sectmaster Chu Rui of the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace had been severely injured in his duel against Grand Monarch Eternal Purgatory. His dharma idol had shattered into countless sparkling fragments before he had split himself up and escaped.

Having his dharma idol shattered was a tremendously heavy injury. Even though he hadn’t died, he wouldn’t be able to fight again for a very long time.

Days later, the entire Domain of Endless Snow fell.

The Demons’ spirits skyrocketed.