I, Qi Yuan, Shall Wield a Few Mankind-Kindled Lights. Any Objections?

Once the towering palace was cleaned from top to bottom, the three of them departed, panting for breath. Along the way, all three kept their heads lowered, not daring to utter a word or cast so much as an idle glance around them. Outside the grand hall, Ancestral Gods passed by from time to time. Whenever one approached, the three would pull aside and yield the path to the deity. It took roughly an hour before they finally returned to their modest dwelling. Too many powerhouses were gathered on the Emperor Star. Consequently, property prices in the Imperial Capital of the Emperor Star were staggeringly high. Even though the old man was a Heaven-rank weapon wielder, the house he lived in was under a hundred square meters. Had he been back in the Qingshan Realm of the Chaotic Star Domain, someone of his standing could have easily ruled as a king or an ancestor. The old man took out his treasured jug of liquor, carefully poured generous measures for the three of them, and wore a look of sheer indulgence. "A single pot of Moon Brew is worth an entire mountain. If you took it to any other domain, trading this pot for a sprawling fortress would be child's play." "It's still nothing compared to the Immortal Brew the Ancestral Gods drink. I hear a single drop can keep a god-rank expert drunk for a hundred days," Long Qi remarked. Like Xiao Qi, he was an orphan of the battlefield who had been taken in by the old man. The old man shot Long Qi an exasperated glare. "Oh, so you're the expert on everything now, are you?" Just then, Xiao Qi stared at the Moon Brew, his gaze hazy with confusion. "What is liquor?" "Great, his ailment is acting up again." The old man looked at Xiao Qi, feeling utterly helpless. Still, both he and Long Qi were thoroughly accustomed to Xiao Qi slipping into this kind of state. Long Qi continued, "I heard that over the next few days, candidates will be chosen to wield the Mankind-Kindled Lights. I wonder who will be selected." "Mankind-Kindled Light..." Hearing those words, a conflicted expression entered the old man's eyes. The so-called Mankind-Kindled Lights were forged through literal pools of blood. Beneath that light lay nothing but crimson gore. "What is Mankind-Kindled Light?" Xiao Qi asked, an inquisitive look on his face. The old man spoke as if to himself: "When Heitian descends, the world is plunged into darkness. Only Mankind-Kindled Light can ignite the gloom and illuminate the path forward." This was practically an article of faith shared by all cultivators in the Tai Star Domain. It was as though so long as Mankind-Kindled Lights were forged, Heitian would be dispelled, and light would be welcomed back. Of course, what they did not know was that even with curious treasures of light, driving Heitian away would remain a monumental feat. Still, to go on living... people needed hope and a goal, didn't they? "I want to have a Mankind-Kindled Light," Xiao Qi murmured at that moment. The old man was amused and chuckled, "You certainly don't lack for imagination." Long Qi laughed along with him. "If you really wielded a Mankind-Kindled Light, maybe you could get the old man a drink of Immortal Brew." Xiao Qi nodded with utmost solemnity. "Drink Immortal Brew." With a head full of white hair, the old man looked on with sorrowful eyes. "What Immortal Brew? As long as you stay safe and sound, that's enough. Even if either of you ever had the chance to wield a Mankind-Kindled Light, I'd rather you refused it. The front line... is no place for a living soul." The parents of both Long Qi and Xiao Qi had fallen on the absolute front lines. The old man's only wish was for these two to live peacefully, scraping through life in the cracks of the world. ... Imperial City of the Emperor Star. Four dazzling radiances hung suspended high in the heavens. The light was so searing and brilliant that no one could look upon it directly, naturally making it impossible to discern what lay within. At this moment, Yuan's ethereal and majestic voice resounded across the realm: "Within half a day, whoever draws closest to the Mankind-Kindled Lights shall be granted the right to wield them on this campaign!" Throughout the Imperial City, countless figures—from the mighty to the humble—looked upward, either straining their eyes open or squinting against the glare to gaze upon those sublime, radiant beams. "So this is Mankind-Kindled Light... Truly magnificent!" "With Mankind-Kindled Light in our hands, Heitian and Heitu won't necessarily be our match!" "Exactly! Heitian and Heitu may be stronger than us, but if they dare invade, we'll tear a chunk of flesh right off them!" The crowd surged with impassioned fervor. Past days had been far too dark and oppressive; only now did they feel they could finally hold their heads high. The old man narrowed his eyes, striving to see the Mankind-Kindled Lights clearly, and murmured, "In there... is a drop of my mother's blood." His mother had also been an artifact refiner. When he was very young, she had left him behind to forge the curious treasures of light. For artifact refiners forging the curious treasures of light, if they succeeded, not one in ten thousand survived; if they failed, perhaps one in ten thousand might live. Long Qi also strained his eyes toward the Mankind-Kindled Lights, refusing to look away even as tears welled uncontrollably from the glare. Xiao Qi did the same, though not a single tear formed in his eyes. "Mankind-Kindled Light... what kind of rules govern it?" Myriad thoughts drifted through his mind. Every night when he fell asleep, he dreamed. In his dreams, he was sometimes a grain of sand, sometimes a drop of water, and sometimes a mighty, awe-inspiring general. *It's too difficult, far too difficult.* Countless questions churned within Xiao Qi's heart. Just then, more than a hundred Ancestral Gods soared into the sky, flying toward the Mankind-Kindled Lights. Anyone daring to compete in this contest was an expert who had reached the absolute peak and limit of the first realm of Ancestral Gods, capable of breaking through at any moment. Over a hundred silhouettes surged toward the Mankind-Kindled Lights. The searing brilliance made it virtually impossible to draw near. It repelled every single presence. "My fate is mine to command, not the heavens'! Break!" a woman with phoenix eyes shouted, her clothes soaked in blood as she pressed relentlessly forward. Many Ancestral Gods deployed their own extraordinary methods to inch closer to the Mankind-Kindled Lights. Yet no matter how hard they struggled, they remained far from the core. Moreover, with every passing moment, someone would reach their limit and tumble out of the sky. When they could not even draw close, how could they hope to wield them? Watching this scene, Tian Clan Fengliu let out an emotional sigh. "Currently, Huang Limei is closest, but... she is still a hundred zhang from the core." After arriving in the Divine Wood Universe, he had adopted 'Tian Clan' as his surname, retaining his original name in remembrance of the destroyed Tian Clan. To wield a Mankind-Kindled Light, one had to enter the core area. Now, even the closest contender was still a hundred zhang away. Attempting to wield them under such conditions would be strained at best, rendering it impossible to unleash the true might of the Mankind-Kindled Lights. Worry surfaced in Sheng Nü's eyes as well. "The time we've been given to grow is simply too brief." Had they been granted a few tens of thousands more years, matters might not have stood as they did now. Yuan's gaze was calm as he surveyed the Ancestral Gods still struggling bitterly to draw near the Mankind-Kindled Lights, his thoughts complex. "This clash may not necessarily become a total war. Treating it as an initial trial by fire is acceptable as well." Yuan was steadying the morale of the army. "Indeed. The line left by Dao Lord Yaoguang has not yet vanished, so we still have ample time to prepare," the hot-tempered bearded man chimed in. This battle might not even fully ignite, or perhaps... it would be nothing more than a small-scale skirmish. It would hardly engulf the entire Divine Wood Universe. Yet at that very moment, the haze in the eyes of the young man named Xiao Qi among the crowd in the Imperial City suddenly vanished, replaced by a spark of clarity. "These Mankind-Kindled Lights... I'd like to try wielding them too." "Hey, Xiao Qi, what are you doing?" Long Qi froze in astonishment. Even the old man stared in disbelief, for Xiao Qi had suddenly rocketed into the sky, flying straight toward the Mankind-Kindled Lights. Did he not know that flight was strictly forbidden over the Emperor Star without express permission? Moreover, the flight-restriction array ahead was more than sufficient to halt his advance. Yet to their utter shock, Xiao Qi's figure seemed to pass through empty air. The grand array capable of restraining Ancestral Gods failed to obstruct him in the slightest. "What is he doing?" "Who is he?" In an instant, countless gazes fell upon Xiao Qi, filled with shock, wonder, confusion, and a dozen other emotions. Huang Limei also noticed the figure behind her and felt a twinge of bewilderment. She had never seen Xiao Qi before. By all accounts, she was familiar with every powerhouse of renown on the Emperor Star. Yet what happened in the very next second shook her to her core: that unknown man swept past the other Ancestral Gods without slowing down. A breath later, he surpassed her position. *How is that possible!* Huang Limei's mind reeled in sheer shock. As an expert at the peak of the first realm of Ancestral Gods, she knew better than anyone the agonizing effort required just to maintain her footing here. And yet, this person had overtaken her so effortlessly? Just who on earth was he? "He passed Huang Limei?" "There's another powerhouse hidden on the Emperor Star?" "Who is he?" "Can he reach the core area?" Everyone was stunned, their eyes fixed upon the young man with mounting anticipation. The old man's eyes went wide, disbelief written across his face. Long Qi clenched his fists tightly, unable to contain the surge of excitement and joy overwhelming him. *Xiao Qi? Him?* High in the firmament, the hot-tempered bearded man's eyes widened. "He..." He had begun to suspect the newcomer's identity. Yuan shook his head, holding him back from making any move. "Rest easy and simply wait." Standing among the crowd, Shangguan Qingteng and Shangguan Qingmiao stared at the figure with complicated thoughts. "Why does he... look somewhat familiar?" "Could it be him?" In the next breath, the hundred-zhang gap to the core area vanished in an instant. This time, every single Ancestral God was thoroughly shaken. This meant the man had already obtained the preliminary qualification to wield the Mankind-Kindled Lights. Yet what occurred in the very next instant left everyone completely dumbfounded. The young man merely waved his hand toward the four brilliant Mankind-Kindled Lights suspended high in the heavens. At that wave, all four Mankind-Kindled Lights flew straight toward him. "How is that possible!" "The Mankind-Kindled Lights... how did they end up in his hands?" "How on earth did he do that?" Everyone held their breath, scarcely daring to believe what they were seeing. Those were Mankind-Kindled Lights, not stray trinkets that could simply be summoned with a wave of a hand. What did this signify? As the four Mankind-Kindled Lights settled into his grasp, the last remnants of haze in Xiao Qi's eyes faded away. It was as though he had understood something, remembered something. Holding the four Mankind-Kindled Lights aloft, his figure stood tall and imposing, yet mingled with an unmistakable hint of languid nonchalance. "I, Qi Yuan... shall wield a few Mankind-Kindled Lights... Any objections?" His voice rippled in all directions. The people across the Emperor Star were momentarily bewildered, but that confusion swiftly transformed into rapturous joy. "He's... the Realm Lord!" "Realm Lord Qi Yuan?" "The Realm Lord... our Divine Wood Universe's Realm Lord!" At that moment, tears welled in many people's eyes. Several centuries ago, word of Realm Lord Qi Yuan had spread. At first, many had refused to believe it. Yet as the Chaotic Star Domain was reclaimed, the Radiant Society withdrew from Divine Wood, and Yuan formally verified Qi Yuan's name, everyone came to understand that a Realm Lord had indeed emerged from their Divine Wood Universe. Their very own Realm Lord! However, for these past few centuries, the Realm Lord had vanished without a trace. Many had searched for him, only to find nothing. They had gone from hope to despair. Now, with the Realm Lord reappearing and taking hold of four Mankind-Kindled Lights, how could they not be ecstatic? How could they not be overwhelmed with emotion? "Yuan... pays respects to the Realm Lord!" The former supreme figure of the Divine Wood Universe bowed his noble head at this very moment. "Sheng Nü... pays respects to the Realm Lord!" Sheng Nü bowed her head with deep reverence. "We pay respects to the Realm Lord!" All the Ancestral Gods bowed their heads, their eyes brimming with awe and fervent hope. "We pay respects to the Realm Lord!" It seemed as though everyone across the entire Emperor Star was crying out. The sound rolled like a rising tide, like crashing waves, shaking the land for ten thousand miles around. The old man's gaze was profoundly complicated, tinged with disbelief and emotion. "Xiao Qi... is actually the Realm Lord." Long Qi's face was flushed with wild joy. Had Xiao Qi simply turned out to be some god-rank powerhouse, he might have felt a tiny pang of envy. But a Realm Lord... that was beyond envy; that was pure, ecstatic jubilation. High in the firmament, Qi Yuan held the four Mankind-Kindled Lights, his gaze deep and inscrutable. "This time... is it an invasion by Heitian and Heitu?" he asked casually. "Replying to the Realm Lord: yes!" Yuan stepped forward, devoid of the aloof pride once befitting the former supreme expert of the Divine Wood Universe. As an entity of the second layer of Ancestral Gods, he naturally understood the vast chasm between himself and a Realm Lord. Qi Yuan's eyes flickered faintly. "All these years, I've been comprehending the Dao and transforming into a mortal, so I've slain fewer guiling than usual. How about this: give me the remaining three Mankind-Kindled Lights as well. This time, I'll go to the Void Sea to meet them." The moment these words were spoken, the expressions of the Ancestral Gods present shifted, myriad thoughts racing through their minds. After all, even though Qi Yuan was a Realm Lord and undeniably a being of the Divine Wood Universe—otherwise, the universe's will would have rejected him long ago rather than allowing him to stand here in peace—they had virtually no prior contact with him. Whatever they knew of Qi Yuan's character, disposition, and past deeds came purely from recorded accounts. Handing over seven curious treasures of light, forged through the flesh and blood of countless living souls, upon their very first encounter... was difficult to swallow. They... felt a lingering hesitation. What if... what if... The Ancestral Gods wore varying expressions, each harboring their own doubts. From their perspective, such skepticism was entirely natural. The Mankind-Kindled Lights were no ordinary items; the survival of the entire Divine Wood Universe rested upon them. Yuan's expression shifted as he studied Qi Yuan, before finally speaking: "Very well." "Yuan!" the hot-tempered bearded man shouted, wanting to intervene. Seeing Yuan's decision, the others fell silent. Yuan's prestige shone brighter than the sun itself. Since Yuan had agreed, there was no need for them to object. Furthermore, if Qi Yuan truly decided to take them by force, could they have protected the seven Mankind-Kindled Lights anyway? "These are the remaining three curious treasures of light." Clad in battered armor, Yuan handed the three curious treasures of light to Qi Yuan. The three treasures, radiating brilliant light, settled into Qi Yuan's grasp. Qi Yuan examined the seven curious treasures of light, a look of surprise surfacing in his eyes. "Metal, Wood, Fire, Earth, Lightning, Cloud, Rain..." Within these seven curious treasures of light, he perceived these seven attributes. And these seven attributes corresponded precisely to the wooden plaques the blind girl had given him. "Except... where is Water?" If it wasn't a coincidence, were the curious treasures of light still missing Water? So Qi Yuan wondered. He turned his gaze toward Sheng Nü, his tone calm: "Sister Sheng Nü, have you ever been to the Divine Wood Deep Abyss in the Qingshan Realm?" Sheng Nü had once created Shenlin, so displaying high emotional intelligence, he addressed her as an elder sister. Of course, with even higher emotional intelligence, he would have had to call her auntie or mother. "I have," Sheng Nü nodded. She had already learned from the two Shangguan brothers that Qi Yuan was keenly interested in this matter. Qi Yuan asked, "I once met a blind girl in the Divine Wood Deep Abyss. She said she had met you and even gave you a method for refining artifacts?" "A blind girl?" Sheng Nü looked utterly bewildered. "Never. However... while contemplating the void within the Divine Wood Deep Abyss, I indeed gained insight and learned an artifact refinement technique." "Is that so?" Qi Yuan's eyes grew deep and contemplative.