Sun Xiaowu was reforging his truesoul and growing stronger than ever. His latent talent was blossoming.

Where there were gaps in his cultivation, natural law from the environment filled them.

Sun Xiaowu refined the energies around him as he tried to take control of the demonic seed embedded in his body. His bones gleamed with radiant light. The faint golden sheen that they had given off was now a dark gold.

As the metamorphosis continued, another cultivator stepped into the palace.

"It's you!" A figure wreathed in golden flame walked into the palace.

Zhang Lie cocked his head in confusion. He had never met this cultivator before.

"Revenge for the young chieftain!" the figure wreathed in golden flame cried out. Golden radiance pierced the void and shot straight at Zhang Lie, but he deflected the blow easily.

Zhang Lie frowned. "I've never met you and have no quarrel with you. Who are you?"

"I seek revenge on behalf of my young chieftain!" the cultivator roared back. The golden flames grew more and more intense as they swept toward him.

Zhang Lie frowned. Who was this person? He had ignored the inheritance before him, despite having come all this way—was attacking Zhang Lie really his only concern?

Zhang Lie hadn't wanted to fight. He would have preferred to wait for Sun Xiaowu to finish his metamorphosis, but his opponent was unrelenting. In that case, Zhang Lie had no intention of remaining passive, either.

Pale blue genetic energy rippled about Zhang Lie's arms. He flicked his wrists, causing a frightening aura to descend on the world. The sky began to darken, and a fish the size of a whale materialized in the air.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Soar]!"

A howling gale swept over the arena. As more and more genetic energy gathered around Zhang Lie's arms, it looked as though he were at the heart of a whirlpool.

A huge wave soared into the air. As Zhang Lie punched forward, the fish slammed its huge tail on the ground and sent a torrent of water surging.Ripples of energy spread out from Zhang Lie, warping the space around him. The towering waves looked like enraged black dragons, flooding the area.

As the waves burst apart, the air filled with echoes of Zhang Lie's signature genetic energy, shattering space and swallowing up all life in its vicinity. All the other cultivators who had entered the palace blanched and fled, attempting to protect themselves even as they ran from the fight to avoid being caught in its aftermath.

Zhang Lie stood before Sun Xiaowu and dispelled the golden flames with his sea-blue genetic energy. His opponent frowned. "As expected of a cultivator who managed to best my young master. I'll admit you have some strength."

"Who's your young master?"

Another cultivator shouted from the side, "He's from the Redgold race!"

The identity of his young master was obvious, then.

Zhang Lie recalled what Bu Wentian had stated. The Redgold clan was now under the control of the Solarvine race, and the young master of the Redgolds was none other than Resplendent Sun, the so-called undefeated legend.

"I'll seek revenge for my young master. Die!" The man wreathed in golden flames began to blaze. Golden light illuminated the entire palace, which was growing warmer by the second.

"[The Boundless Blade: Yawning Wave]!"

Zhang Lie raised his pointer finger high into the air, manifesting a sword will that rose into the heavens, strong beyond human understanding, vast as the ocean.

"If even your young master can't stand against me, what makes you think you can?" The sword energy parted the golden flames and beheaded the cultivator.Despite the fact that his head had been chopped off, the Redgold cultivator was clearly still able to fight. He drew the golden flames onto his palms and struck.

"[Ninecarp Transformation]!"

A black serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now so large and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.

Pitch-black genetic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, devouring the flames.

The Redgold cultivator charged toward Zhang Lie like a flaming golden meteor.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"Zhang Lie punched forward. The black serpent behind him shot forth. Golden flames sizzled as they came into contact with a dark cloud of corrosive genetic energy.

The Redgold cultivator was forced back. He transformed into a golden sun that released scintillating light, threatening to drown Zhang Lie in golden flames.

"[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"

As Zhang Lie punched forward, the serpent hissed and shot toward the cultivator again, breaching the golden light and sea of flames to strike at the sun itself.

The energy of annihilation was like a black hole that sucked up everything in sight, including the golden sun. Pained cries came from within the black hole as the Redgold cultivator was devoured.

The energy of annihilation had destroyed everything in a certain radius around the palace. Pinpricks of light floated toward the seal on Zhang Lie's hand. He turned back to see Sun Xiaowu still attempting to reforge his body. He was undergoing a tremendous transformation, almost like a rebirth of sorts.

His physical body glowed with a sheen that reminded Zhang Lie of top-quality jade.

Golden flames blazed around him, rumbling like thunder. It was a frightening sight to behold.

Sun Xiaowu's condition had all but stabilized. He had made it past the most crucial part of the transformation, and was now attempting to claim the demonic seed for his own use. Zhang Lie, who would have been happy to wait patiently as the transformation took place, found himself the target of yet another cultivator.

The temperature of the entire palace rose at a staggering rate as another figure blazing with flame entered the palace. He was shocked by Sun Xiaowu's transformation, a shock that was quickly replaced by greed and envy.

"I like the spot you've claimed. Make way for me."

The figure blazing with flame was like a demon straight out of hell, one that would make children cry just with his looks alone. A pair of blood-red wings grew out of his back.

Zhang Lie stepped forward, protecting Sun Xiaowu. "And who do you think you are? This palace doesn't belong to you."

"I'm Chi Lingkong of the flamedemons."

Zhang Lie cocked his head. "And?"Chi Lingkong scoffed. "You haven't heard of the flamedemons? You must be a nameless challenger who made it out of the qualifiers by chance."

"Are the flamedemons supposed to be impressive?"

"I've dealt with quite a few pieces of trash from the qualifiers by now. There might be nine holy mountains and nine corresponding palaces, but there's no space for trash like you in any of them. Scram!"

In a flash, he extended all ten of his fingers. Red feathers billowed around him in the void, poised to shoot out.

As Zhang Lie activated his monarch-grade limitless universe soulshard, he glowed with stellar radiance, like a burning star. Starlight flowed through his body in phantasmagorical colors.