After gaining Luminous Insight, Lian Yue had tested her new divine ability on numerous occasions.

In the end, she concluded that with the exception of Heavenly Sovereigns, no matter who someone was, and no matter their cultivation base, she could see through all strange phenomena of their hearts at a glance.

Nothing was more mysterious than the human heart.

Every cultivator’s heart had its own unique “climate" and "landscape."

It was after gaining her Luminous Insight that Lian Yue’s understanding of the human heart changed completely.

However, using Luminous Insight was immensely draining. Thus, she wouldn’t use it lightly.

Lian Yue vividly recalled the founder of her sect, Heavenly Sovereign Changhen, speaking about her divine ability. He’d been quite generous with her, opening his heart to let her see the landscape of his heart.

A boundless mountain of corpses and a vast sea of blood. Heavenly Sovereign Changhen stood alone beneath the dome of heaven, a black seal floating above his head.

The seal looked like a manifestation of the Will of Heaven. Murderous intent poured down around it, like a galaxy pouring down from the heavens, shattering the ages!

He was like the heavens incarnate as he stood atop a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, a seal hovering above his head as he waged war throughout the ages!

The landscape of his heart came as an enormous shock to Lian Yue.

Now, the landscape of Li Muchen’s heart shocked her once more, to the point that she instinctively compared him to Heavenly Sovereign Changhen.

None of the cultivators she’d seen thus far, including the leader of the Court of the Southern Heavens, had shocked her half as much.

His heart blazed like the sun, illuminating the ages.

What kind of mentality did someone need to have a heart so radiant?

Even more unbelievably, for the first time, Lian Yue discovered that her Luminous Insight wasn’t enough to fully examine the landscape of Li Muchen’s heart!

It was as if a layer of light were obscuring her vision.

All she could see was that it was as radiant as the sun and vast beyond measure.

This, more than anything else, told her that Li Muchen wasn’t simple!

“Young Mistress, the world has never lacked for extraordinary talents. There might be something special about Li Muchen, but don’t forget that he’s ultimately just an Unfettered Realm sword cultivator from the Literati Continent,” Granny Snake said warmly. “That means that even if I don’t get involved, acquiring the Toad Palace Pearl won’t be difficult.”

“What do you want me to do, Granny?” said Lian Yue.

Granny Snake smiled. “After we leave the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone, find that boy’s sect and discuss this matter with them. I trust that they’ll give the Court of the Southern Heavens Face and agree to this transaction.”

She put it politely, but how could Lian Yue possibly fail to understand what she really meant?

Ultimately, she just wanted to use their reputation to suppress other people.

Lian Yue shook her head. “Leave this up to me.”

Granny Snake smiled. “Very well.”

However, inwardly, she’d decided to find Li Muchen’s seniors when they got back. Let’s see if they dare to refuse. Of course, I cannot let the young mistress find out about it. She has her principles, and it’s entirely understandable. I’ll just have to play the villain on her behalf.

Unlike the other Dao Protectors, Granny Snake had brought a secret treasure from the sect. It was enough to help disguise her as an Unfettered Realm cultivator. With it, she could leave the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.

Suddenly, Lian Yue stopped in her tracks to look at Granny Snake. “Granny, is there something you aren’t telling me?”

Granny Snake was inwardly startled, but she maintained her kindly smile. “Why do you ask, Young Mistress?”

Lian Yue gazed intently at her. “Did you really just come to the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone to serve as my Dao Protector?”

Granny Snake inwardly sighed in relief, but at the same time, she couldn’t help but be surprised. “Don’t tell me you picked up a few hints?”

“Mm,” said Lian Yue.

After a moment’s silence, Granny Snake said, “This fundamentally has nothing to do with you, Young Mistress. All you need to do is temper yourself and strive for good fortune.

“The sect leader didn’t want you to know about this, but since you asked, I naturally must answer you.”

The kindly-looking old woman transmitted, “We are working together with Limitless Palace, Sevendeaths Court, and the Heart-Tempering Sword House to hunt down a common foe.”

“Our common foe?” Lian Yue looked stunned. Just what kind of enemy could warrant three Heavenly Sovereign factions and the greatest of Heavenly Monarch factions joining forces like this?

Granny Snake’s gaze was a bit strange. “You’ll naturally learn the truth once the situation is resolved. For now, all I can tell you is that the Heart-Tempering Sword House is leading this operation. Limitless Palace’s Ol’ Yao Kun Peng, Sevendeath Court’s Bi Yunzi, and I are cooperating with them.”

She paused. “We’re setting our trap in the Ancient Nine Luminaries City. We’ll close our net as soon as our prey arrives.”

Lian Yue was baffled. She racked her brains, but she couldn’t for the life of her guess who they were targeting, or why they’d decided to set their trap in the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone of all places.

She was just about to ask when Granny Snake shook her head. “Young Mistress, this has nothing to do with you. The sect leader commanded that you focus on tempering yourself. You needn’t get involved in these turbid waters.”

She smiled warmly. “A long, long time ago, a disciple of the Taiwu Sect found the Laws of the Moon Luminary in the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone. After returning to his sect, he received a personal audience with Heavenly Sovereign Ku Xuan.

“This old woman predicts that the Laws of the Moon Luminary will soon be yours. Should the opportunity arise, acquiring other parts of the Laws of the Nine Luminaries is entirely possible, too.”

Her eyes were full of eagerness.

However, Lian Yue wasn’t the least bit concerned about that. She was still trying to figure out just who the four top factions were working together to defeat. Granny Snake, the Kun Peng, and Bi Yunzi... are all top-notch Heavenly Monarchs. Aside from them, the top sects participating each chose a group of Heavenly Monarchs to serve as our Dao Protectors.

If all of them work together to defeat a single person, it’ll be far, far too terrifying. Whoever it is will be doomed. Only a Heavenly Sovereign’s intervention would be enough to save them! No Heavenly Monarch, no matter how capable, would be enough!

It’s just a shame that my cultivation base is too low. I’m unqualified to learn the truth, let alone participate.

The Five Realms of the Eternal Dao were each worlds apart.

The Divine Wandering, Silent, Immeasurable, and Heavenly Fate Realms followed the Unfettered Realm. And whoever this death trap was targeting had to be a Heavenly Monarch! Otherwise, what need would there be for these factions to go to such lengths?

But that was exactly why Lian Yue felt the limitations of her cultivation base so deeply.

Granny Snake said warmly, “You needn’t underestimate yourself, Young Mistress. The founder himself said that if you hadn’t suppressed your cultivation speed, someone of your foundations and aptitude could break into a new realm once a century! That’s a feat far beyond the vast majority of Eternals.”

“Mm,” said Lian Yue. “I understand.”

......

Countless Star Graves dotted the barren, desolate, ancient battlefield.

Su Yi and his companions were walking a safe route to the Ancient Nine Luminaries City.

Throughout the ages, the vast majority of cultivators had chosen to follow this very path.

This was a testament to its safety, but it also meant that there was practically no hope of encountering good fortune or treasure along the way.

But neither Su Yi nor his companions were bothered by that. After all, they had a full month to explore the Nine Luminaries Battlefield. Once they’d gotten a feel for it and found a safe place to rest, they could naturally find a different path and set off in search of treasure.

Five days passed in a flash.

Along the way, they didn’t encounter so much as a single Falling Star Stone, let alone any other kind of good fortune.

As much as Mo Lanhe and Fu Lingyun found this a pity, it made them increasingly cognizant of how outrageously lucky they’d been to run into so many Falling Star Stones the day they entered the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.

Su Yi planned to open the remaining Falling Star Stones when they reached the Ancient Nine Luminaries City, then share the spoils with Mo Lanhe and Fu Lingyun.

That was how he’d always done things, both in past lives and in his present incarnation.

“This ancient battlefield sure is big,” sighed Liu Tianchen.

The sky was full of danger, so they couldn’t fly. All they could do was traverse the battlefield on foot.

But even using various divine abilities to shrink the distance, the Nine Luminaries Battlefield seemed endlessly vast.

“At our current pace, we’ll reach the city at dawn the day after tomorrow,” said Yun Qiaojun. “I heard that there’s a stele so ancient that its origins are lost to history there. They call it the Starry Stele, and there are nine lotus platforms arranged around it. They’re called the Divine Contemplation Lotus Platforms, and they say that cultivating atop them brings inestimable benefits.”

Xiao Chi nodded. “According to ancient records, cultivating atop the Divine Contemplation Lotus Platforms doesn’t just help you contemplate the Dao. You can receive other unbelievable benefits too. Over the years, most of those who’d cultivated atop them have broken through after leaving the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone and created divine abilities suitable for their foundations in the Grand Dao.”

“Quit dreaming.” Wen Xiuran shook her head slightly. “The cultivators of the Five Great Continents have always monopolized them. There’s no way cultivators of the Literati Continent will ever get a spot on one.”

That was the truth of the situation. None of them could deny it.

Xiao Chi, however, smiled. “Seems to me that once we reach the Ancient Nine Luminaries City, there’s sure to be a spot for Brother Yun on one of the nine Divine Contemplation Lotus Platforms.”

Yun Qiaojun laughed bitterly. Don’t flatter me to death. All I can say is, I’ll try my best to compete for a spot.”

As he said this, the greatest Unfettered Realm sword cultivator in the Literati Continent looked eager. His eyes shone with a rare hint of anticipation.

The nine Divine Contemplation Lotus Platforms were one of the many types of good fortune available in the Nine Luminaries Forbidden Zone.

However, it was true that no cultivator of the Literati Continent had ever gotten to cultivate on one before.

If Yun Qiaojun managed to claim a spot, he would change history, becoming the first in the continent to cultivate atop a Divine Contemplation Lotus Platform!

Liu Tianchen, however, instinctively glanced at the nearby Li Muchen.

He had a strong premonition that Li Muchen had a real shot at it, too.

Even if he didn’t want to admit it, there was no denying that Li Muchen’s odds of climbing the Divine Contemplation Lotus Platforms were even higher than his senior apprentice brother’s.

Suddenly, Yun Qiaojun stopped in place and gazed into the distance.

Practically simultaneously, a desperate cry rang out.

“No!”