Translator: Fate Translation Checker: Silavin Wan Yanxiu believed that things would be a lot easier to handle if Gu Changge had specific preferences. Be it wine, women, or wealth, there was always a way to fulfil his desires and mitigate any future troubles or disasters. He was more concerned about Gu Changge being one of those beings who wanted nothing and acted solely in accordance with his mood. That was precisely what the White Bone Ancestor was like. He did whatever he wanted based on how he felt. Before someone more powerful than him, he, too, had to be meek and obedient. However, before those who were weaker than him, he was a merciless ruler who killed as he pleased. In the Boundless Expanse, the strong preying on the weak was the natural way of life. Wan Yanxiu himself had to submit to the might of Gu Changge. “Drunken Stars. A decent name, but I am not a lover of wine. I merely enjoy its taste from time to time.” Gu Changge continued to swirl his wine cup. He was not that interested in wine and merely made the comment in passing. Wan Yanxiu was a lot quicker on the uptake than he expected. The White Bone Ancestor King’s desire for self-preservation was also fairly strong. Beings who came this far after surviving countless conflicts and near-death experiences would always greatly cherish their life. What was dignity and humiliation to them? Everything else in life was expendable if it meant that they could live. The White Bone Ancestor King was a bona fide Lunatic who had long abandoned his past, as well as everything else. However, compared to the others, he visibly cherished his life even more. Despite his madness, he still kept a sense of rationality. He was willing to sacrifice all of his dignity and submit to a life of servitude if needed. Had this been any other Lunatic, they would’ve done whatever it took to go up against Gu Changge. This was one of the most important reasons why Gu Changge believed the White Bone Ancestor King could be of use to him. As long as one were to frighten him enough and have him in a chokehold, he would remain loyal. “Yes, sir,” Wan Yanxiu responded respectfully. He dared not make any further comments. He sent others to retrieve the ancient jade tablets that Spirit Ruin True World collected over the epochs. They contained records of the locations of some of the Ancient True Worlds in the Boundless Expanse. The Boundless Expanse was vast, and even Dao Realm ancient cultivators could spend their entire lifetimes searching for and never finding its border. Therefore, there was only a handful of information inside the jade tablets. The records were naturally incomplete. Gu Changge flipped through the jade tablets casually. Even though they were written in the language of Spirit Ruin True World, that did not stop him from comprehending them. Based on the records made by Spirit Ruin True World, the ‘Expanse Domain’ was vast and boundless with no end in sight. It was like an endlessly drifting fog with no fixed destination. It moved with the wind without ever staying in just one location. This vast fog included every single True World inside the Boundless Expanse. No one could leave the Expanse Domain to see what was beyond it. Unlike what Gu Changge knew about the Boundless Expanse, the living beings in the True Worlds of the Boundless Expanse usually called this fog the Expanse Domain. Its very name signified just how boundless and endless it was that it could encapsulate everything. No one knew the true boundaries of the Boundless Expanse, and no one could figure out where it ended. No one also knew for sure how the Expanse Domain came to be. However, countless living beings and Civilisations burst into existence within the Boundless Expanse. Numerous ancient worlds rose and fell within it. An Ancient True World was like a wave in the Boundless Expanse. Even a tiny ripple could birth a world and be home to numerous living beings. This was the splendour of life which was an indescribable miracle. Over the years, the Civilisations within the Boundless Expanse had tried to discover the source of life, but all their efforts amounted to nothing. Countless secrets were hidden in the Boundless Expanse, and no one could unearth them. As chaos continued to collide, one particular moment would spark the miraculous birth of a True World. The rise and fall of life was an unsolvable mystery. The Expanse Domain had its own Principles. With Heavenly Dao as the adjudicator, there were Great Purges every hundred, thousand, or ten thousand epochs. All the True Worlds were put through a test… After surviving such Tribulations, the vast worlds found in the Boundless Expanse were able to undergo a drastic transformation. Tiny worlds became small worlds, while small worlds became medium worlds. The medium worlds could become large worlds. After that, there were still the ancient worlds and the True Worlds… Such classification was the universal truth within the Boundless Expanse. An ancient world would have countless subordinate large, medium, and small worlds, while a True World would have numerous ancient worlds. This was the strict hierarchy of worlds in the Expanse Domain. The ones at the very top were the Immortal True Worlds who ruled over an extensive territory within the Expanse Domain. Immortal True Worlds had numerous Ancient True Worlds and Nascent True Worlds beneath them, as well as countless other worlds. One example was the Rising Dawn True World, the True World that reigned over the Spirit Ruin True World. It was an Immortal True World with an unthinkable heritage. It survived numerous Great Purges and showed no sign of decline despite having gone through the Great Purge. Even at its peak, the Spirit Ruin True World had to send tributes to the Rising Dawn True World every epoch. Apart from the Spirit Ruin True World, the Rising Dawn True World had many other Ancient True Worlds in its territory. It was far mightier than the Spirit Ruin True World. “How fascinating.” Gu Changge set down the jade tablets with an intrigued look on his face. He was familiar with the classification system of worlds within the Boundless Expanse. However, he was surprised by how numerous True Worlds simply considered the Great Purge as a trial from the Heavenly Dao. Just as cultivators had to undergo the Decay Tribulations, the True Worlds had to undergo Great Purges. Such thinking implied that cultivators should abide by the Will of Heaven and endure the challenges and hardships instead of resisting and attempting to get rid of them. Initially, he thought it was only Gu Wuwang, the Founding Ancestor of the Gu Family who thought this way. He did not expect to find similar mentions in the records of Spirit Ruin True World. [What was an interesting find. Either someone had done it on purpose to fool the masses, or the act of Heavenslayers had been classified as Forbidden and unspeakable.] [Have memories of that time had been forcefully erased from existence? Did the Will of Heaven destroy all traces of the Heavenslayers? But, back in the Prosperous Dao True World, Gu Wuwang only seemed deeply wary of those words. He was not entirely unfamiliar with it.] [It seems like someone did indeed make a grand move to wipe the memories of Heavenslayers from the minds of all living beings. Was Gu Wuwang unaffected because I was beside him?] There was a strange look in Gu Changge’s eyes. Few could erase the memories of all living beings in the Boundless Expanse. If it were someone from the Source Realm who did it, it would not have escaped his notice. Furthermore, the timing seemed off. “Sir…” Wan Yanxiu did not understand what Gu Changge’s words meant. He felt rather uneasy. [‘Fascinating’? Could it be that the ancient records are inaccurate?] The White Bone Ancestor King looked over in confusion too. “It’s nothing.” Gu Changge waved his hand and made no further comments. The jade tablets had a clear record of the location of Rising Dawn True World. Gu Changge planned on targeting it first. An Immortal True World would have at least an Ancestral Dao Realm expert presiding over it. Rising Dawn True World was located in a corner of the Expanse Domain, but there were most likely other Immortal True Worlds in its vicinity. Inside the grand hall, the beauties of Spirit Ruin True World continued to dance. Their initial fear soon faded, and their dance became even more graceful. Wan Yanxiu sent beings to retrieve more jade tablets for Gu Changge. He did not know how long Gu Changge had been asleep and how much he understood about the present Expanse Domain. All he could do was find ways to let Gu Changge target other True Worlds. Naturally, during this time, Wan Yanxiu also tried to find out more about Gu Changge’s origins to know who he was. Of course, Gu Changge shared very little, and Wan Yanxiu dared not ask. All along, Wan Yanxiu’s plan was to head to the Nascent True World and sacrifice it to enable the descent of the Spirit Ruin True World and carry out the plan that had been in the works for numerous years. However, Gu Changge’s appearance disrupted Wan Yanxiu’s plan. He could only abide by Gu Changge’s instructions. Truth be told, Wan Yanxiu had his own thoughts about that. If Gu Changge did indeed strike other True Worlds, Wan Yanxiu could very well have a chance to conquer an even more powerful True World and allow for the continuation of Spirit Ruin True World if he followed Gu Changge’s orders and served him. If it had not been for his lack of strength, Wan Yanxiu would have targeted the other familiar Ancient True Worlds instead. He would not be forced to traverse the Boundless Expanse for so long in search of a Nascent True World. [If this mysterious being intends to attack the other True Worlds, would it not be a chance for Spirit Ruin True World too?] A series of thoughts flashed across Wan Yanxiu’s mind before he landed on a bold idea. Right now, he was uncertain whether Gu Changge planned on devouring other True Worlds to replenish what he had lost during his long slumber. [Could it be that this sir has other motives?] … “What? Even the Grand Ancestor has awakened?” “Who is that mysterious man who suddenly appeared? What have you found out?” Inside a world within the Spirit Ruin Ancient Battleship, a golden-robed figure with a crown on their head was sitting inside a majestic palace. The silhouette’s visage was hazy. It was hard to tell whether they were a male or a female. Even their voice seemed shrouded in fog. The fog dazzled like silver light. It looked like eternal Godly Flames that flickered around the figure. Right now, the silhouettes kneeling before the golden-robed figure were the people of Spirit Ruin True World. “Your Majesty, we do not know what’s happening within the ancestral palace. We only managed to find out some information from those who were tasked to deliver the wine.” “Apart from the Grand Ancestor, the other Ancestors have also gathered inside the ancestral palace. They looked timid and uneasy, and seemed to be fearful of the mysterious man.” The figures kneeling below the golden-robed figure truthfully reported everything they knew about the situation inside the ancestral palace. No one dared to hide anything. The one before them was the Spirit Empress, the current ruler of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family and a figure of unimaginable power who currently ruled their world. Apart from the Ancestors in the ancestral palace, the Spirit Empress was the most powerful being in the Spirit Ruin Royal Family. After hearing what was reported, traces of uncertainty could be detected from the blurry visage. The figure seemed to be contemplating something. “We of Spirit Ruin True World have prepared for this plan for so long, but we are forced to halt just because of one mysterious man? Does that not mean all the sacrifices we, Spirit Ruin Royal Family, have made all the years would be wasted? What are the Ancestors thinking!? We’re so close to achieving our goals…” “Could it be that this being is powerful enough that even all of them are afraid of him?” As the Spirit Empress of Spirit Ruin True World, she knew full well that they had been planning all along. The fate of the entire Spirit Ruin True World and the lives of the countless living beings within rested on this plan. Apart from the Spirit Ruin Royal Family, many other Forces had sacrificed far too much for this. They were now only a step away from success, yet the Spirit Empress was suddenly informed that this matter had to be set aside for now. “In that case, what was the point of me bearing the scorn and contempt of others for so long!?” “Follow me! I’m heading out for a walk!” The Spirit Empress knew there was no room for discussion. She could not change what was happening. Even though she was the Empress of the Spirit Ruin Royal Family, many decisions were made by the Ancestors in the ancestral palace. The moment she spoke, the figure of the Spirit Empress disappeared from the palace. When she reappeared, the dazzling silver fog was gone. In its place was a beautiful woman in an elegant dress. She was tall and had a sophisticated aura that made her look like the esteemed Young Mistress of a Sect. Several trusted confidantes trailed behind her. They were dressed as servants. Soon, they vanished from Spirit Ruin’s Royal Capital. … “Heaven has made our Clans suffer for so long. Throughout all these years, under the guise of repairing the palaces, the Spirit Ruin Royal Family have seized the resources of the various Clans. Apart from the Ghost Axe Clan and the Celestial Crafts Clan, the other Clans have suffered greatly.” “Every place we’ve encountered has been filled with resentment towards the Spirit Ruin Royal Family. They have committed far too many atrocities to even mention. Even those who speak a single ill word of them run the risk of being beheaded.” “Resentment has brewed among all the Clans. Thoughts of rebellion have long since been formed. If the Spirit Ruin Royal Family insists on carrying on like this, sooner or later, they will crumble from within. I won’t even need to seek vengeance myself…” Within a barren mountain, a man and a woman were travelling on horses. The man looked to be in his twenties. His bronzed complexion gave off a sense of unwavering resolve. The young woman beside him had fair and prominent features. Her gaze was also enchanting. Upon hearing the man seemingly muttering to himself, the young woman looked a little exasperated. She could not resist saying, “Senior Brother Chu, aren’t you afraid that someone might hear you? Before we leave, Master warned us not to speak rashly, lest it spells doom for us.” “We’re in a remote wilderness with no one else in sight. What are you worried about, Ming Xiu?” The man of steely resolve was currently the most powerful being from the Ghost Axe Clan and Tian Yezi’s disciple, Chu Lian. The young woman beside him was Ming Xiu, his Junior Sister. He shook his head and glanced at the desolate road before them. He was not afraid that someone might overhear them. Ming Xiu felt helpless. If those from the Spirit Ruin Royal Family overheard them, she and Chu Lian would lose their heads. Considering their strength, they would not be able to escape. She did not know why Chu Lian seemed to have come to an understanding and stopped his obsession with vengeance after their Master had spoken to him. In fact, he even suggested travelling around to take his mind off things. Worried that Chu Lian would do something foolish, Ming Xiu decided to go with him.