Great Villain: Starting by Humiliating the Son of the Heavenly Fate

With a hint of anticipation in his eyes, Jiang Chen mused, 'The Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo is on the same level as the Endless Dark Blood Moon.'

'Even though it has flaws from being seized, its bloodline power still rivals that of the Death Calamity True Dragon.'

'This was one of the grandest opportunities that once belonged to Gu Ran.'

'I wonder how potent the fusion of the Endless Dark Blood Moon and this Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo would be once Gu Ran achieved it.'

'But now, with Gu Ran's body and spirit wholly obliterated, the chance to merge these two bloodlines falls to me.' With that realization, Jiang Chen dismissed all distractions and opened the jade box with complete focus.

With but a mere thought, an intangible force acted upon the blood bead that shone with starlight, drawing it directly into his mouth.

In an instant, Jiang Chen felt a cold yet profoundly pure energy rise within him.

The moment this energy manifested, the power of the Death Calamity Dark Blood Moon sprung to life.

These two forces stood as mortal adversaries, primed to repel and obliterate one another in a heartbeat.

Yet, at that pivotal moment, a vaster and more profound mysterious force welled up, wrapping the two contrasting bloodline powers in its embrace.

It was the might of the Eternal Boundless Body!

In the span of a heartbeat, the two forces, which once fiercely opposed and clashed, astonishingly bound as closely as glue, melding flawlessly. Within moments, they melded into a singular entity, utterly inseparable!

At that precise moment, a power even more formidable than before emerged from this newly-forged bloodline, silently weaving its way into every cell and the deepest recesses of Jiang Chen's soul.

Concurrently, a swath of knowledge innate to the Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo unfurled before Jiang Chen.

Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo: Among the myriad mysterious innate talents the cosmos offers, beings blessed with the Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo can, wherever stars gleam, effortlessly draw the essence of starlight to refine their forms.

Put simply, with the Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo, under the gleam of starlight, one can undergo self-cultivation.

Even if Jiang Chen chooses not to actively refine his physique, this bloodline will take the reins, harnessing the quintessence of the stars to autonomously sculpt and fortify his body.

Jiang Chen's eyes sparkled in astonishment, 'Incredible! A bloodline that amplifies physical prowess!'

'The Endless Dark Blood Moon and the Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo – one pillages the foundation of cultivation, while the other naturally enhances the physique. Together, they form the perfect union!'

'From here on, I won't be burdened with the fear of lacking time for body cultivation.' As he sensed the overwhelming vigor of his new bloodline, a joyous smile graced Jiang Chen's lips.

Thanks to the Death Calamity True Dragon bloodline, Jiang Chen's physical might had always surpassed that of cultivators in his own realm.

Now, bolstered by the Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo, his physical strength had the potential to soar even further from this formidable baseline.

This newfound power meant he could not only overwhelm peers in his realm using sheer physical might but even challenging those from loftier realms seemed within reach.

"Time to gauge the potency of the Ten Thousand Stars Dao Embryo!" An eager Jiang Chen licked his lips, his gaze shifting skyward.

The apex of the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Mountain, akin to a volcano, bore an open crest, granting a clear view of the heavens above.

Though the world was bathed in daylight, this posed no obstacle to Jiang Chen's quest to harness the stellar energies to refine his form.

The vast expanse of the celestial Sea of Stars remained ever-present, both day and night. The sole distinction? Mere mortals couldn't discern the stars in daylight.

In that moment, Jiang Chen took a cross-legged posture amidst the void, his gaze fixed upwards, wearing an expression of profound calm.

Through his heightened senses, he felt wisps of pristine star power cascade over him, each strand seamlessly assimilating into his very being.

Every cell within him experienced a nuanced enhancement.

Only a few breaths had transpired, yet the changes were already discernible.

It begged the question—how prodigious would his bodily strength grow with sustained cultivation?

"It's incredible, truly exhilarating! To have my body auto-cultivate—it's such a delight!" Jiang Chen exclaimed, shaking his head in sheer glee. He then procured a set of Nether Soul Crystals, employing them to nurture the lingering souls of Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning.

The batch of Nether Soul Crystals he secured this time comprised the Peak-stage Dao Palace realm crystal from Ji Junhao, in addition to some Nether Soul Crystals belonging to those of the Dao Comprehension realm.

While Ji Junhao's Nether Soul Crystal might not match the caliber of Long Tianlu's crystal, it certainly surpassed the one from E Tianjiu.

After Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning absorbed the Nether Soul Crystals, their souls edged progressively closer to the Middle-stage Transcendence realm.

This process also bode well for Jiang Chen, as his divine sense underwent another expansion.

'Next on the agenda—devouring spiritual plants!' Anticipation lit up Jiang Chen's eyes as he drew forth a multitude of spiritual plants. 'Time to ingest and amplify my power!'

The majority of these spiritual plants were sourced from the heart of the Inheritance Peak.

Though the inheritance's owner had imposed a stipulation demanding immediate consumption, Nangong Wan and Shangguan Ning expertly breached this restriction, enabling Jiang Chen to abscond with the coveted spiritual plants.

Beyond the spiritual plants from the inheritance, Jiang Chen also secured more of them after defeating and beheading formidable foes like Xu Yuqi and other Dao Palace realm elites.

In total, he had in his possession three Transcendence realm spiritual plants, nineteen from the Dao Palace realm, and a plethora of others from the Dao Comprehension realm.

Despite some decline in the medicinal vigor of these spiritual plants, their cumulative efficacy remained nothing short of awe-inspiring!

"Crunch! Crunch!" Without any hesitation, Jiang Chen seized a spiritual plant, popping it directly into his mouth.

A monumental surge of medicinal essence unfurled, pooling in his dantian. Without delay, the Burning World Red Lotus absorbed it, subsequently replenishing him with a copious amount of undiluted cultivation base.

With each spiritual plant Jiang Chen consumed, he felt a surge of pure cultivation base permeate him. This formidable infusion propelled his cultivation realm, breaking through and elevating him to the Middle-stage Dao Palace realm!

The Burning World Red Lotus, too, underwent its own transformation, rebounding from the Dao Comprehension realm to fortify itself in the Dao Palace realm.

More petals vibrantly regained their hue, a stark contrast to their previously languished state.

With the resurgence of the Burning World Red Lotus, the potency of the Burning World Raging Flames intensified. Once unleashed, its dominance was unquestioned within the Dao Palace realm.

Jiang Chen's soft chuckle echoed, "Hehe." His mind raced, 'My arsenal grows ever stronger—Wan'er, Ning'er, Burning World Raging Flames, and even my dragon-human hybrid form...' Filled with resolve, he delved into his cultivation, employing the Purple Heaven Dark Star Heavenly Scripture.

Jiang Chen opted to keep the Villain Value in reserve for now. After all, it could be traded for indispensable techniques and might prove more beneficial when deployed judiciously.

While he was deeply immersed in his cultivation, both the Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect and the Purple Heaven Holy Land mobilized a considerable contingent of cultivators. Their task? To erect the venue for the much-anticipated conference of the Immortal Martial Continent's paramount prodigy!

These cultivators worked with commendable proficiency. In a fleeting period, they sculpted a vast, ring-shaped floating venue.

Dominating the heart of this venue was a towering black arena!

Simultaneously, young prodigies from diverse territories, escorted by their Dao Protectors, streamed into the Lustrous Yang Domain. Their destination? The Ageless Spirit Heavenly Sect.