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The scintillating lights on Planet South Heaven lasted for the time it takes an incense stick to burn before fading completely away.

Out in the starry sky was an asteroid field that seemed to be eternally drifting among the stars.

The largest of the asteroids were tens of thousands of meters wide, the smallest were dozens. From a distance, the asteroid field almost looked like a river of stars floating through s.p.a.ce.

This portion of s.p.a.ce was actually not completely black; occasional dots of sparkling light glittered to and fro. At first glance, the starry sky seemed without end, but in fact, it was not so. It also seemed to pulse with life.

The asteroid field was filled with many large asteroids that were apparently surrounded by shocking power, almost like s.h.i.+elds.

One of those asteroids was tens of thousands of meters wide, and emanated glittering light. It was possible to see numerous teleportation portals carved into its surface, over a thousand of them packed tightly together.

One of those teleportation portals was currently emanating dazzling light, and the figures of Meng Hao and 19th Uncle slowly became visible.

“Hao’er,” 19th Uncle said with a smile, “there is a vast distance between Planet South Heaven and Planet East Victory. It would be difficult to teleport there directly. That’s why we need to transfer teleportation portals here.” When he looked at Meng Hao, the emotion and love in his gaze was apparent.

He was very pleased that his older cousin’s son had successfully transcended his tribulation, and was finally able to return to the clan.

When he thought of the steep price Fang Xiufeng had paid over the years, he couldn’t help but sigh in his heart.

“You can take a look around,” 19th Uncle continued. “This asteroid belongs to the Fang Clan, so we’re in no danger. I need some time to make some adjustments to the teleportation portal. The way it is now, your body probably couldn’t handle it. I need about… enough time for an incense stick to burn.” With that, he began to make adjustments to the teleportation portal.

Meng Hao nodded in response, then stepped out of the teleportation portal to look around.

There was no sun and no sky. The only things he could see were sparkling stars amidst pitch black darkness. Although this was not Meng Hao’s first time stepping out into the starry sky, it was different than those other times.

“I’ve really left Planet South Heaven….” He looked off into the distance, but actually had no sense of direction, and no way to determine where Planet South Heaven might be. His heart felt a bit empty, and he was also nervous about arriving as a stranger on Planet East Victory.

Of course, that was where he had been born, and was also a planet that belonged to his own Fang Clan.

He patted his bag of holding, within which was a jade slip given to him by his father. It contained a map of the Ninth Mountain and Sea, along with various paths among the stars.

“Once I’ve finished making these adjustments, we can be on our way,” 19th Uncle called out, smiling as he continued to adjust the teleportation portal to suit Meng Hao. “The Patriarchs are all in secluded meditation, and have left the Grand Elder in charge. He was very happy to hear that you’re returning, and has arranged for large numbers of clan members to gather together and receive you.

“It’s going to be very lively! Hahaha! Once we’re back, you really have to help me get my son in line!”

Meng Hao nodded, and for some reason, he wasn’t able to keep a bit of warmth from rising up in his heart. That was the warmth of family, a warmth that had begun to grow cold almost as soon as he left Planet South Heaven and stepped out into s.p.a.ce.

“19th Uncle, does all of Planet East Victory belong to the Fang Clan?” he asked.

“Your father didn’t tell you? Well, that makes sense. Cousin is a bit resentful of the clan. Ai….

“Hao’er, you probably already know that all the lands and stars are actually part of nine mountains and seas. Another way of putting it is that nine mountains exist in the starry sky, and each mountain has a sea, thus, nine seas.

“The Nine Mountains and Seas are divided into groups of mountains and seas, and thus nine worlds.

“In each of those, there are four planets which rotate eternally around their respective mountains. Outside of the Nine Mountains are two enormous heavenly bodies; the sun and a moon.

“Because of the reflections cast by the sea of stars, the sun and moon look different on each of the planets, but in fact, there is only a single sun and a single moon for all the Nine Mountains and Seas.

“In the Ninth Mountain and Sea, one of those four planets is Planet East Victory, which belongs completely to the Fang Clan. Although there are other sects and power structures on the planet, if the Fang Clan wanted to, we could unify the other powers. Instead, we permit them to exist.

“Actually, the largest planet in the Ninth Mountain and Sea is not Planet East Victory, but rather Planet North Reed. It is several times larger than Planet East Victory, and is where the w.a.n.g Clan, Song Clan, and Li Clan, the Three Great Clans, all call home.

“Then there is Planet West Felicity, where you can find the Sublime Flow Sword Grotto, one of the Three Great Daoist Societies, as well as other ill.u.s.trious sects.

“To further a.n.a.lyze matters, you have to look at the Ninth Mountain and the Ninth Sea as a whole.

“Compared to everything else, Planet South Heaven is special. Since your father didn’t tell you the details about that, then I won’t presume to talk about them.” After providing his explanation, 19th Uncle smiled and continued with his adjustments to the spell formation.

Meng Hao’s eyes glittered with an intense light. 19th Uncle’s description overlapped with his own understanding of matters to provide a much larger picture in Meng Hao’s mind.

“19th Uncle, what other sects are on Planet East Victory?” he suddenly asked.

“The most famous are the Church of the Blood Orchid and the Church of the Puppet G.o.d, which are listed among the Three Churches and Six Sects. In addition to them is the Medicine Immortal Sect. They might not be listed among the Three Churches and Six Sects, but when it comes to the Dao of alchemy, in all the Ninth Mountain and Sea, they are second only to the Kunlun Society.

“Most accurately speaking… the Medicine Immortal Sect has a deep connection with the Fang Clan. Ai… it was actually founded by a Patriarch of the Fang Clan who got angry and left to start his own sect.

“After we get back to the clan, my son, your cousin, can tell you more about all that.” 19th Uncle extended his right hand and pushed down onto the surface of the teleportation portal, causing bright light to glitter up.

“Alright, that’s it! Let’s get going, Hao’er. After enough time pa.s.ses for an incense stick to burn, you’ll be able to lay eyes on Planet East Victory!” Laughing loudly, 19th Uncle stepped into the teleportation portal, followed closely by Meng Hao. As the light of teleportation surrounded them, a glow of antic.i.p.ation could be seen in Meng Hao’s eyes.

Meng Hao and 19th Uncle soon vanished with the light. However, in the moment that they faded away, a black-robed cultivator appeared above the teleportation portal.

He wore no expression at all on his face, which was as cold as ice. He almost seemed completely devoid of emotion. He appeared without making a single noise, and when he saw that Meng Hao and 19th Uncle had disappeared into the portal, he stamped down viciously with his right foot, instantly shattering the teleportation portal.

The teleportation portal was fundamentally very difficult to shatter. Otherwise, Meng Hao and 19th Uncle would not have been so confident in using it; after all, this asteroid belonged to the Fang Clan, and was protected by a s.h.i.+eld, making it very difficult for outsiders to get into the place.

The black-robed man pulled out a jade slip and sent some divine will into it.

“Target acquired. Teleportation portal’s foundation destroyed.” With that, he vanished.

Almost in the same moment that he vanished, brilliant lights could suddenly be seen at a point somewhere between the asteroid and Planet East Victory, accompanied by ma.s.sive rumbling. In the middle of the light was a hole that had been ripped in the void, from which a multicolored glow surged out, as well as deadly ripples. A roar could be heard, which was 19th Uncle, who shot out from within the hole, his hair in disarray, his expression that of rage, and his cultivation base rotating at full power. Next, Meng Hao stepped out from within the hole, surrounded by thunderous roaring.

19th Uncle’s face was grim, while Meng Hao’s eyes gleamed with an intense light. Moments ago, they had been in the midst of teleportation, when suddenly, the teleportation tunnel collapsed. If 19th Uncle hadn’t protected Meng Hao with his powerful cultivation base, then Meng Hao would definitely have been killed.

Almost as soon as 19th Uncle and Meng Hao appeared, ripples began to spread out all around them. In the blink of an eye, nine completely emotionless black-robed figures appeared. From the look of things, they had already calculated any avenues of escape that would be open to 19th Uncle and Meng Hao, and had sealed them off; this was a deadly ambus.h.!.+

Rumbling echoed out as the nine people attacked in unison… all with peak Immortal Realm power!

“Dammit!” roared 19th Uncle. “You people really have gall! Didn’t you know that was a teleportation portal of the Fang Clan!?” He immediately performed an incantation gesture with his right hand, causing an explosively destructive aura to surge out in all directions.

However, it was at this point that a faint aura suddenly materialized in the void, and then roared out explosively. This aura was not that of the Immortal Realm, but a step beyond that, the early Ancient Realm!

The appearance of this new aura caused 19th Uncle’s face to flicker. He gritted his teeth, and a look of determination appeared on his face. He quickly grabbed Meng Hao and threw him off into the distance, as well as some other object, which turned into a beam of light that followed Meng Hao.

“Hao’er, they’re probably after me. You get out of here, and I’ll come after you later!” 19th Uncle then began to perform a double-handed incantation.

“Great Heavenly Void!” cried out 19th Uncle. His entire body suddenly transformed into an enormous vortex that instantly sucked in the hidden Ancient Realm aura, as well as the nine peak Immortal Realm cultivators. Then, they all vanished.

Everything happened extremely quickly. From the collapse of the teleportation to 19th Uncle unleas.h.i.+ng his divine ability and swallowing up his opponents, barely enough time pa.s.sed to blink an eye.

Meng Hao was panting as he tumbled through the void. The beam of light that had been following him materialized into a flying shuttle, which surrounded Meng Hao and sped off into the distance. The shuttle would provide Meng Hao protection from the starry sky for quite some time.

Meng Hao’s face flickered, and he turned to look back at the spot where 19th Uncle had fought the mysterious a.s.sailants. There was nothing to be seen; apparently, Meng Hao was now the only person out here among the stars.

“Were those people after 19th Uncle, or were they… coming after me!?” Meng Hao’s eyes flickered. He was not a novice in the Cultivation world. Contrariwise, he was extremely discerning. After all, he had traveled the road of cultivation all the way to the peak of Dao Seeking completely on his own power and ability, all without even knowing his father and mother. The tempering he had gone through had left him with shocking willpower and intuition.

Without pausing for a moment, he sent some divine sense into the flying shuttle. After a moment of thought, he realized that while he didn’t distrust 19th Uncle, he also knew that if those people weren’t targeting him, then he could do whatever he wished right now. However, if they were targeting him, then that meant they had the ability to determine not just 19th Uncle’s location, but his own. Therefore… he was not safe in this shuttle.

He decided not to use the shuttle after all. He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and then flew out of the shuttle into the starry sky.

As soon as he left the shuttle, a suffocating pressure bore down on him. His body was immediately sent out of balance, and he began to sweat profusely. Fundamentally speaking, anyone who was not Immortal could not tread among the stars.

“I have eighty percent of the power of a true Immortal. I can kill false Immortals as easily as turning over my hand, and I’m actually comparable to a 40-meridian Immortal. Plus, my fleshly body is incredibly powerful. Therefore… I can rely on myself to fly through the stars!

“Although my speed might not be that great, I can still do it safely!” He lightly tapped the shuttle, sending it flying off in another direction, and splattered some blood onto it at the same time, which instantly transformed into a crude Blood Clone that could not wield divine abilities.

The flying shuttle speedily drifted off into the distance carrying his Blood Clone.

With that, Meng Hao turned into a beam of light that shot off into the distance.