"The Xuanhuang Realm is our only sanctuary, so naturally we must ensure its safety," Holy Emperor Li Ping said as if it were only natural.
"Once we return, I will allocate a portion of the You people and have them return to their worship of the Sea of Gloomy Darkness. Since the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals captured the You people and disrupted the Nether Realm's balance, the Sacred Dynasty will bear the full burden of making it right.
"However..."
Li Ping gazed into the profound, pitch-black ocean before him.
"Though Source Power Essence is immense, its quantity is ultimately limited. I wonder just how many You people must pray day and night to fully restore the Sea of Gloomy Darkness?"
Master Yin was somewhat touched by Li Ping's attitude. After pondering for a moment, he replied, "According to that You chieftain, back when their race was at its zenith, their footsteps spanned the entire subterranean cavern world. I estimate there were at least five hundred thousand of them..."
Li Ping said slowly, "It seems the way we treat the You people will require a slight modification."
Master Yin nodded in agreement.
"Let us conclude our inspection here for now. I have a feeling that this darkness has gradually begun fixating its gaze on the two of us."
"Very well."
A burst of golden light enveloped Li Ping's body, outlining him in peerless sanctity and majesty.
Amid the fluctuating light and shadow, time and space itself seemed to warp.
In the next instant, Holy Emperor Li Ping vanished into thin air, returning directly to the Daqi pocket world.
He had not passed through the portal produced by the You people's sacrificial prayers, but had utilized the power of the vast web of Source Power Essence directly.
"Currently, the web of Source Power only originates within Daqi. If one day You people throughout Xuanhuang are praying to me, I will be able to use that connection to appear wherever I wish at will," Holy Emperor Li Ping murmured thoughtfully.
Having grasped the significance of the You people, Li Ping summoned Wang Xuanba.
He conveyed to him the updated strategy regarding the You people.
Aside from continuing to scale up the production of You people in the flesh-and-blood factories, they also had to simultaneously foster the growth of a natural population of You people to achieve sustainable development.
"As for this second group of You people, you must find ways to lengthen their lifespans instead."
Kneeling on one knee, Wang Xuanba listened to the Holy Emperor's decree. Though he had no idea what had caused this sudden and dramatic shift in attitude, he loyally accepted the duty.
After Wang Xuanba departed, Li Ping summoned Sun Erlang.
He assigned him the mission of leading an army to conquer several subterranean worlds.
Sun Erlang, who had been idle for quite some time, gladly accepted the command.
However, Li Ping did not dismiss him immediately as he had done with Wang Xuanba, but continued to inquire.
"How has Yi Shu of the Taiyan Sect been behaving lately?"
The Sacred Dynasty's fortune was tied entirely to Li Ping. As the Destined Holy Emperor of Daqi, he naturally knew everything that transpired within the Daqi pocket world like the back of his hand, yet he still asked what he already knew.
Not daring to conceal the slightest detail, Sun Erlang reported everything faithfully.
"To think the Taiyan Sect actually agreed to your request," Li Ping said, his voice entirely devoid of emotion, echoing within the Holy Emperor Throne.
"Still, that works out well. If a day comes when the Sacred Dynasty falls, seeking refuge in the Taiyan Sect would not be a bad outcome for you."
Sun Erlang was stunned, his expression shifting in alarm. "Master, how could the Sacred Dynasty ever..."
Li Ping let out a very rare chuckle. "How could there ever be absolute certainty of victory in this world? What harm is there in having an extra route of retreat? But this applies only to you. Do not speak of this matter to your junior brothers and sisters."
"Go on, then."
Sun Erlang departed in fear and unease.
Li Ping sat high above, the only one remaining within the empty Holy Emperor Throne.
Although this expedition into the Nether Realm had lasted only a brief moment, it had delivered quite a shock to his mind.
"The Grand Star-Crossing Array, the fishing pond..."
"My strength has already placed me half a step onto the summit of Xuanhuang. Yet too many hidden anomalies lurk within the Xuanhuang Realm. The Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals has ruled half of Xuanhuang for so many years; their foundation is bound to run far deeper than what is displayed on the surface.
"Moreover, in a war against the Alliance of Ten Thousand Immortals, we must not only win, but win swiftly. Otherwise, a protracted war of attrition between cultivators would inevitably inflict irreversible trauma upon this world once more. When it is already a battered boat patched and mended over and over, how could it endure further turmoil?"
As the Destined Holy Emperor, there was still much he needed to consider.
After pondering for a long time, Li Ping flickered and vanished from the Daqi pocket world.
When he reappeared, he was already in Jiushan Province within the Xuanhuang Realm.
Protected by the Source Power Essence, he was now qualified to venture outside occasionally without worrying excessively about his personal safety.
"The Tian beast."
Standing in midair, Li Ping sensed the chaotic, disordered space surrounding him.
"If my deduction is correct, the Tian beast should also be part of the Grand Star-Crossing Array.
"The sea of stars is fraught with perils. To successfully cross it, scouting the path ahead and evading dangers is an indispensable prerequisite.
"The Eye of the Tian Beast..."
Vague images flashed through his mind.
Beyond the Xuanhuang Realm, within an independent space known as the Eye of the Tian Beast, one could seemingly observe far deeper into the star sea than from within Xuanhuang.
"It is a pity the Tian beast is already dead. Locating that unique space can only depend entirely on luck. The star sea is vast and boundless, constantly subject to the suction of the Immortal Ruins; finding it is even harder than dredging a needle from the ocean.
"Of the Grand Star-Crossing Array's four components, three have already shown their traces. Only the last one remains entirely elusive.
"..."
Shaking his head slightly, he set the thought aside for now. Moving without a sound, Li Ping arrived at the headquarters of the Spirit Origin Sect.
The Spirit Origin Sect was the largest local faction in this chaotic region of Jiushan Province.
Its members all cultivated the Common People Spirit Origin Art. On the surface, it appeared to break the restriction that dharmas cannot be practiced concurrently, but in truth, they were mere tools for the leader of the Spirit Origin Sect to refine and absorb Source Power.
Effortlessly bypassing the various restrictions, Li Ping followed his perception of Source Power and reached Layman Qiaogong's underground base.
The room was filled with all sorts of bizarre parts and components, and the person bustling about in their midst was Qiaogong himself.
"Where exactly is the difference?"
"Source Power and Source Power Essence—a difference of a single word, yet worlds apart!"
A puppet forged from golden Source Power exploded into fragments with a loud bang, streamers of light scattering in all directions.
Seeming to have failed the experiment, Layman Qiaogong grew rather irate.
"Come here!"
He turned and barked at a female cultivator standing off to the side, a leather whip abruptly manifesting in his hand.
The female cultivator remained expressionless, her eyes devoid of the vibrancy of an ordinary person.
"Not like her, not like her at all! Nothing like the real Shangguan!"
Seeing the female cultivator's appearance, Qiaogong grew even angrier.
Just as he was about to bring the whip down, he suddenly spotted the figure of the Faceless Holy Emperor standing in the secret chamber.
As if caught doing something shameful, Qiaogong's hand trembled, nearly dropping the whip to the ground.
"Who goes there?!"
Startled and furious, Qiaogong glared at Li Ping and roared.
Inside the secret chamber, the puppets that had previously looked like dead objects instantly sprang to life, all staring fixedly at Li Ping.
Chapter 1217