Immortal of the Ages

Beneath the Heavenly Palace, there lay a blazing ocean vast and unyielding, wrought from the very fabric of the Celestial Sourcecore. This fiery expanse, bursting with uncontrollable power, was no place for the cultivation. Even for ordinary Immortals, mere survival in this crucible was a formidable challenge, let alone any meaningful progression. So, this stretch of creation lay deserted, untouched by any signs of life.

In that moment, within the molten veins of ore-like stone, a gusty portal abruptly tore open.

With a thunderous roar, the silhouettes of Immortals burst forth from this portal, their celestial power surging out to form a protective barrier around their flesh. Only with such defenses could they find a semblance of stability within this relentless forge.

Leading them was a figure of striking presence—tall, with a face as fine as cut jade and a bearing both regal and unrivaled in beauty. Yet, his expression was marred by distress, his mood visibly stormy and volatile. This was none other than the Crown Prince of the Celestial Court.

"Zhao Shi, quickly summon the Western Kunlun Palace!" the Crown Prince commanded, turning to address a woman of stately grace and imperial dignity, clad in a gold and black phoenix robe.

Under normal circumstances, no imperial prince would dare to address the Empress Dowager in such a manner, for their ages and experiences were worlds apart. To the world, she was the maternal figure of the Celestial Court; to him, perhaps nothing more than another of his father's consorts.

Despite her youth compared to the Crown Prince, in this crisis, she exuded a calm that belied her age, her every action radiating nobility and an untouchable grace. She responded to the Crown Prince’s harsh command with silence, waving her hand through the air. A mystical light shot into the Celestial Sourcecore forge and vanished.

Soon after, all those who had escaped the Taiwei Imperial Palace emerged safely from this void passage, which then sealed with a loud boom, allowing the survivors a moment of respite.

"I wonder if His Majesty has confronted Yun Xiao..." the Crown Prince’s consort, Saintess Yao Xi, murmured with a worried look.

"Quiet," the Crown Prince snapped, his irritation evident as he glared at the delicate beauty beside him.

Saintess Yao Xi bowed her head, her fingers nervously twisting the hem of her garment.

Before long, a burst of bird song filled the air, and looking up, they saw a massive azure bird soaring through the flames, approaching swiftly. This was no ordinary bird but a moving palace formed from myriad regal courts, propelled by an intricate array that mimicked the form of a celestial bird.

This was the Western Kunlun Palace, a mobile stronghold uniquely possessed by the Empress Dowager, symbolizing the feminine power of the Celestial Court and controlled by her alone.

As the Western Kunlun Palace reached the end of the void passage, it was clearly there to hasten the escape of these celestial officials from the Heavenly Palace.

"Activate the Azure Bird Mystical Array!" the Crown Prince said impatiently, casting a quick glance at Zhao Shi. "Hurry up, and once inside, secure the control of the array's core."

"Yes." Empress Zhao nodded submissively.

The gathered Immortals, mainly the female relatives of the imperial family and celestial officials, along with a host of young prodigies such as Jian Chi and Zhao Yuanbao, who had been lucky enough to slip into the Taiwei Imperial Palace during the initial chaos, all lowered their heads, still shaken from the ordeal.

Empress Zhao activated the Azure Bird Mystical Array, and the Crown Prince was the first to step inside. Once within the array, the tumultuous storm of the Celestial Sourcecore forge was barred from entry, instilling a serene quiet. Before them lay an ethereal realm, a haven blooming with peach blossoms, filled with the chirping of birds and the fragrance of flowers, a place both fresh and pure.

Only within the sanctuary of this Azure Bird Mystical Array did the gathered Immortals finally breathe a sigh of relief, their tense spirits beginning to settle. Some wept softly, while others voiced laments or showed signs of confusion—emotions they could scarcely contain.

Now, their only hope was for the White Emperor to subdue Yun Xiao and Divine Dawn, to rebuild the Celestial Court and restore its former glory.

The Crown Prince stood before them all, drawing in a deep breath, his emotions steadying into calm.

He was about to declare their next course of action when suddenly, he heard a noise from the most splendid Peach Blossom Villa within this idyllic realm.

"Zhao Shi, is there someone inside the Peach Blossom Villa?!" His brows furrowed as he turned to cast a cold glance at Empress Zhao.

Surprised, she responded with a slight gasp, "That can't be possible."

Hearing this, tension gripped the crowd.

"Come out!" the Crown Prince commanded sternly. His celestial power swept forth like a colossal beast, pressing down upon the luxurious villa, causing it to tremble violently.

BOOM! Just then, the doors of the Peach Blossom Villa burst open, and a wave of petals flowed out. Within this floral cascade, three figures emerged.

The onlookers were left breathless at the sight.

Flanking the sides were two strikingly beautiful women, naturally seductive, each with fox ears and tails, their figures exquisitely graceful—the very epitome of allure.

Everyone recognized them. It was the Lunar Demon Mistress and her daughter Wuqing—a pair of mother and daughter fox demons.

Between them, a man with a leisurely smile embraced their slender waists. This man, clad in golden robes, with unkempt hair and murky eyes, his face flush with the hue of intoxication and his feet bare, seemed to float as he walked.

"Lu Fan!!"

Upon seeing this man, the Crown Prince's eyes frosted over instantly, a mixture of murderous intent and dread flooding his heart.

His inner chill deepened abruptly as he turned back to glare at Empress Zhao and demanded, "How is this condemned prisoner in your Western Kunlun Palace?!"

Standing upright, Empress Zhao, supported on either side by Saintess Yao Xi and the Combat Sovereign, faced the furious interrogation of the Crown Prince without a reply, merely a slight curl at the corner of her mouth.

In that instant, her hands clenched, and the power of the entire Western Kunlun Palace surged into her fingertips. As one of the Celestial Court's most vital legacies, the palace unleashed a formidable array force at that moment.

Thunderous booms resounded as, under Empress Zhao's command, giant azure columns, wreathed in feathered plumes, shot up from beneath the Crown Prince’s feet. Interwoven swiftly into a birdcage, the columns constricted, transforming into tendrils that wound around the Crown Prince.

"Zhao Shi, are you rebelling!" the Crown Prince bellowed, his voice echoing through the Western Kunlun Palace like the roar of a fearsome dragon. The azure pillars and feathered cage shattered around him, seemingly unable to suppress his celestial might.

At that critical moment, behind Empress Zhao, a line of women, all celestial officials and imperial family members, joined hands, channeling their celestial power into her back. As their power roared through the array, a divine light burst forth, solidifying the azure columns and cage once again with such force that the Crown Prince was driven to his knees, cracking the ground beneath him.

"You...!" He stared, wide-eyed and incredulous, at the faces before him, now cold as ice, which momentarily wiped his mind blank.

Just then, a dazzling golden-black light burst from above his head, and the vast Chaos Emperor Lotus appeared, unleashing a soul-crushing pressure that bore down on the Crown Prince's spirit.

"AGHH!!" His scream tore through the air as both his physical body and spirit began to fracture under this sudden, dual assault—an experience he had not suffered for ages, protected under the White Emperor.

"You wretched women dare to rebel against the supreme Celestial Court!"

The Crown Prince, wounded and furious, roared like a mighty dragon. His voice shook the heavens, and a blinding white light burst from him, illuminating the Western Kunlun Palace and forcing the Immortals back, some coughing blood from the sheer force.

In the blink of an eye, Empress Zhao, her face as cold as a glacier, rushed forward with a celestial sword in hand. She plunged into the birdcage, and with a swift stroke, her sword sharp as the serene waters of a peach blossom pond, she struck the Crown Prince's right arm.

With a wet sound, the arm was severed, blood spurting wildly.

"GAHHH!" Already overwhelmed by the array's crushing force and now losing an arm, the Crown Prince's agony was beyond words. His eyes split with pain as he screamed, "Zhao Shi, everything you have comes from my Imperial Father's nurturing. How can you betray your conscience and play the ingrate!"

As he raged, another figure appeared beside him, wielding a short sword that moved with lightning speed. In a swift moment, the Crown Prince's left arm was also cleaved off, blood gushing forth.

Shocked to his core, the Crown Prince stared at the assailant, looking as though he'd been struck by thunder.

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