Entering the Moon of the Otherworld, Zhao Li and Xiang Liu were once again awestruck by the magnificent sight before them.
The land of Qingqiu was lush and verdant, adorned with a riot of blossoms. As far as the eye could see, vibrant hues of purple and red mingled with the songs of birds and the fragrance of flowers, creating an utterly delightful scene.
Rolling mountains stretched for miles, dotted with ancient cypresses and towering bamboos, their emerald hues painting the entire landscape.
The sky was a pure, deep blue, and the distant lakes shimmered with crystalline clarity. The entire domain of Qingqiu was a perpetual spring, rich with intoxicating beauty.
In contrast, the Moon of the Otherworld was a realm of shimmering starlight and ethereal auroras, its vast sky a tapestry of countless stars.
Radiant light cascaded like endless sunshine or moonbeams, illuminating towering, spirit-infused crystals that dotted the land.
These crystals, akin to the ancient trees of Qingqiu, served not only as majestic adornments but also as prisms refracting the celestial auroras, bathing the ground in brilliance. The entire domain was as bright as day, yet imbued with the gentle tenderness of night.
Jade towers and opulent pavilions rose like layered mountain peaks, their golden splendor half-hidden among the clouds, exuding grandeur and majesty.
The most magnificent and imposing structure among them was the Asura Palace—equivalent to a human imperial palace. With soaring eaves adorned in crimson and gold, intricately carved beams, and jade-green tiles, it stood as if crafted by the gods themselves.
At its heart, a towering jade pavilion, enveloped in layers of silver-hued magical arrays, reached into the clouds, its glow harmonizing with the starlit sky, shimmering resplendently.
Across the domain, vast fields of blooming spider lilies unfurled like brocade, their fragrance eternal, while serene ponds by arched bridges burst with fiery red lotuses. Truly, it lived up to the verse: “The valley hums with earthly melodies; the air scatters celestial fragrance. Gazing upon this blessed land, it indeed surpasses paradise.”
Zhao Li couldn’t help but let out a long, awed “Wow.”
Yelan turned to her, his crimson eyes brimming with tenderness, and asked softly, “Do you like it here?”
“Yes!” Zhao Li replied with palpable excitement.
She recalled how, years ago, in search of a way to counter the Shadow Realm, she had visited the ruins of the Asura Clan with her reincarnated father from the Flower Tribe.
Back then, the Moon of the Otherworld’s barrier had crumbled as its people vanished, and the entire domain had fallen to the earth. The once-majestic structures had been reduced to rubble, a desolate wasteland.
Now, witnessing the Asura Clan’s former glory firsthand, how could she not be moved?
Seeing her genuine delight, the warmth in Yelan’s eyes deepened.
Ming Jing and Ming Yao, who had been silently following, snorted in disdain, thinking, At least you have some taste.
Earlier, the brothers had worried this little fox might “speak without elegance,” belittling the Moon of the Otherworld’s scenery as inferior to Qingqiu or the kaleidoscopic beauty of the Flower Tribe’s domain.
For races accustomed to the cycle of day and night and the changing seasons, the Moon of the Otherworld often felt unsettling at first.
This was especially true for the Phantom Beast and Plant Tribes, who cultivated by drawing essence from the sun and moon, viewing them as celestial parents.
Thus, the Asura Clan had constructed the Asura Fortress beneath the Moon’s barrier. A resplendent city of cassia palaces and orchid halls—for their allied clans to reside in.
This wasn’t to exclude outsiders from the Moon of the Otherworld. Though the Asura Clan was insular, they treated all who joined their ranks as equals.
And those races would never know that the vast expanse of stars held infinite power. The sun and moon were but celestial bodies among the countless stars of the cosmos, and their strength was like an ant trying to shake a mighty tree compared to the boundless universe.
The reason ancient races like the Asura, Dragon, and Phoenix clans were so formidable was because they drew power from the stars.
Otherwise, why would those slippery dragons of the Dragon clan not dwell in the depths of water but instead move their domain to the skies, constructing a grand and ethereal floating island—the Celestial Sea of Clarity?
As for the Phoenix clan and other winged races, they naturally favored the heavens, so it was only fitting that they built floating island clusters in the sky for their generations to inhabit.
The Moon of the Otherworld was vast. Though one could clearly see the entirety of the Asura Palace from the entrance, walking there would take a full hour to reach its gates.
Normally, Yelan could return to the city with a simple teleportation spell. But since Xiao Zhao Li likely disliked being touched, carrying her back wasn’t an option. So, she retrieved a flying artifact from her soul storage—the Ruyi Treasure Pouch—and said to Zhao Li:
“Your Jade Qilin, though among the finest of divine mounts in terms of endurance, still can’t match the speed of a flying artifact. I have one here—the Blazing Fire Cosmic Wheel—which I often used as a child. Not only can it be stored in a soul storage and summoned at will, but its outer rim is also wreathed in spiritual flames that can protect the user, doubling as a semi-weapon when needed. I no longer have any use for it, so you may take it.”
With a flick of her finger, the artifact floated before Zhao Li.
The Blazing Fire Cosmic Wheel! Zhao Li’s eyes sparkled.
She had seen it within Yelan’s illusions. The artifact radiated a dazzling, soul-stirring rainbow light. The spiritual flames adorning its outer rim were forged from the first Asura Emperor’s own phantom power and the flames of the Red Lotus, essentially embedding an emperor-grade protective barrier.
The so-called “spiritual flames protecting the master” referred to this emperor-grade shield deflecting harm for the wielder.
All damage below level 60 was nullified. And unless the attacker was above level 90, breaching the emperor’s protection to harm the artifact’s owner would be no easy feat.
Stepping onto the Blazing Fire Cosmic Wheel was akin to activating an invincible shield without expending spiritual energy or casting a spell.
For Yelan, whose cultivation had reached the level of a Spirit Emperor, capable of flight and teleportation, and already immensely powerful, this artifact was indeed unnecessary. But for Zhao Li, it was a priceless treasure.
Even disregarding combat utility, the Blazing Fire Cosmic Wheel far surpassed any mount. Not only was it, as a divine artifact, vastly faster than ordinary flying spiritual tools or mounts, but the mere fact that it could be stored in a soul storage and summoned instantly made it a hundred times more valuable than even divine-grade mounts.
While living things like herbs could be stored in soul storages, mounts could not—they could only be summoned through summoning spells.
In the Boundless Realm, most spells were instantaneous, with only a handful of supreme-tier spells requiring charging time.
But summoning spells, despite being the lowest-tier magic, consumed more waiting time than casting a supreme-tier spell, not to mention the greater spiritual energy expenditure.
Under normal circumstances, this was manageable. But if one needed to flee from an enemy, by the time the mount was summoned, it would already be too late.
Yet flying spiritual tools in the Boundless Realm were largely monopolized by the noble families of the great clans, let alone divine artifacts like the Blazing Fire Cosmic Wheel.
Only the three emperor-grade leaders could produce such treasures. Yelan truly spared no expense when it came to her.
The two Ming brothers watched, their frustration and anger mounting, pounding their chests and stamping their feet.
Such a precious treasure—what a steal for this little fox!
Moreover, the Ancestor had deliberately spoken in a casual tone to avoid making her feel indebted.
But this little fox had always been a bit slow-witted—what if she thought the Ancestor was giving her trash?
Zhao Li extended both hands, solemnly cradling the gift in her palms, and said with heartfelt gratitude, “Thank you.”
The gift was far too valuable, and by rights, Zhao Li was unworthy of receiving it. But she knew that if she refused now, Yelan would surely think she was unwilling to accept her goodwill. To avoid any misunderstandings, she accepted it.
I’ll just bear Yelan a child later and pass this divine artifact to them—that way, it’ll return to the Asura Clan.
Seeing her acceptance, Yelan exhaled in relief, her joy growing even more evident. Her tone lightened noticeably as she said,
“Just prick your finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the Spirit Flame. It will then recognize you as its master and obey your commands. Unless someone possesses cultivation at the Emperor level like me, no one can strip you of the right to wield the Blazing Fire Heaven and Earth Wheel.”
And no Emperor-level cultivator would stoop to snatching a flying artifact from a junior.
Zhao Li nodded, bit her finger, and let a drop of blood fall onto the artifact.
The Spirit Flame blazed brilliantly, the wheel spinning twice before gently settling beneath Zhao Li’s feet.
She felt a soft force lifting her. The Blazing Fire Heaven and Earth Wheel required no expenditure of her own spiritual energy to operate. Truly befitting a divine artifact!
“Ming Jing, Ming Yao.” When speaking to her subordinates, Yelan resumed her imperial demeanor.
The two clasped their hands. “Ancestor.”
“This Sovereign has important matters to discuss with Princess Zhao Li. You two shall escort Xiang Liu to the reception hall to await further instructions.”
Xiang Liu was stunned. Empress Yelan actually remembered his name! The princess had only mentioned it twice. It seemed the empress truly cared for the princess—even the name of a servant was worth committing to memory for her sake.
Ming Jing and Ming Yao bowed deeply. “As you command.”
Zhao Li, standing atop the Blazing Fire Heaven and Earth Wheel, followed Yelan back to the Asura Palace.
Inside, beaded curtains hung half-drawn, and sandalwood incense curled from the burner. The decor was opulent yet tasteful, reflecting the refined sensibilities of its owner.
Yelan gestured to a cushioned divan. “Sit.” Though countless words swirled in her heart, when they reached her lips, she found herself unsure where to begin.
Zhao Li obeyed, gazing at her intently before suddenly saying, “Yelan, has your cultivation regressed?”
Though phrased as a question, her tone was certain.
Yelan stiffened slightly. “You—”
“How many levels?” Zhao Li pressed urgently, her expression filled with concern.
After a pause, Yelan sighed. “Level 89. I’ve regained some through recent secluded cultivation.”
“How much?”
“…Level 92.”
At these words, Zhao Li’s heart trembled.
From Level 85 onward, each breakthrough was a monumental challenge, a major bottleneck. If it weren’t so difficult, there wouldn’t be fewer than a hundred Spirit Saints in the world—nor only three Spirit Emperors.
The price exacted by the God of the Foreign Star was far too steep.
Indeed, Yelan’s sudden regression from the peak of Level 99 Spirit Emperor, losing ten levels in an instant, was all due to the price demanded by the God of the Foreign Star.
For Zhao Li to return to the past and alter Yelan’s doomed fate, her own payment alone was insufficient.
Despite Zhao Li’s repeated pleas, the God of the Foreign Star had insisted on extracting the price from Yelan as well.
That was the God of Endings, a deity above even the Divine Emperor. If she were angered, it was likely that the entire Wuji Realm would vanish completely from the infinite cosmos.
Zhao Li was forced to accept the conditions set by the alien god.
However, Yelan truly lived up to his reputation as a once-in-ten-thousand-years genius. In such a short time, he had already advanced from level 89 to level 92.
The Human Emperor was at level 95, while the Dragon Emperor stood at level 97.
Although every level beyond 90 represented an immense chasm in power, Yelan still had the unique illusionary force of the Asura Clan to rely on. The gap between him and those two shouldn’t be too vast.
Yelan gazed at her deeply, his voice calm as he asked, “Even the Twelve Asura Lords were unaware of my sudden drop in cultivation. How did you come to know of it?”