62: Millions of disciples take their positions

The millions of disciples dispersed above the Star Palace, and the spatialcrack torn by the tribulation lightning slowly healed. However, the atmosphere on the plaza in front of the main hall had taken a strange turn.

Lin Xuan sat on the white jade steps in front of the hall, like a king among children. On his left arm hung Jin Bao, a pink and jade-like creature with two shimmering golden dragon horns on his head. The little guy had just completed his True Immortal Tribulation, and was rubbing against Lin Xuan's arm, the oppressive aura of a Five-Clawed Golden Dragon mixed with the affectionate nuzzling of a little baby, making for a truly bizarre sight.

To his right sat Yu Lin, whose small face was pale and expressionless. She clutched a fragment from one of the main pillars of the Star Palace, gnawing on it with a "crunch, crunch" sound, her large, silver-white eyes focused solely on the food.

Mu Ling Nannan squatted by the medicinal field, her emerald green eyes sparkling. Her small hands pointed at several chaos spiritual rice plants that had been knocked down by the immortal energy storm, her heart aching. A rich surge of Yi Wood spiritual energy emanated from her, gently enveloping the fallen seedlings.

You Ye stood barefoot, floating a few steps behind Lin Xuan. Her translucent black gauze dress swayed without wind, and her dark purple eyes gazed silently at Lin Xuan. Faint ghostly energy swirled around her, her exquisite features appearing and disappearing within the mist, creating an inherently chilling aura that kept others at bay.

A Zi sat directly opposite Lin Xuan, her face filled with bewilderment. The little girl had been deeply shaken by the terrifying aura of the millions of arriving troops; her small face was pale, and her dark purple short hair stood on end like a startled hedgehog.

Now, singled out by Lin Xuan, her pure, amethyst-like eyes were filled with nervousness and dependence. Her small hands anxiously twisted the corner of the new clothes Lin Xuan had just given her.

"Master," A Zi's voice was tiny and trembling.

"Don't be afraid, A Zi," Lin Xuan grinned, reaching out to ruffle her messy purple short hair. It felt soft and fluffy. "Come, I have something good for you to try." With a thought, a drop of viscous liquid, imbued with a destructive yet vital aura and swirling with purple lightning, appeared on his fingertip—Chaotic Tribulation Lightning Liquid!

The moment it appeared, Jin Bao on Lin Xuan's shoulder let out a yelp, his dragon eyes instantly wide, almost drooling. Yu Lin's gnawing on the pillar also paused, her silver-white eyes fixed intently on the drop of lightning liquid. Even You Ye, floating behind him, felt a slight ripple in the soul mist around her.

"Open your mouth," Lin Xuan coaxed, like a parent giving medicine to a child.

A Zi trusted Lin Xuan implicitly. Although the liquid looked terrifying, crackling with electric sparks, she obediently opened her small mouth.

Zzzzt! The moment the drop of Chaotic Tribulation Lightning Liquid entered A Zi's mouth, an abrupt change occurred!

Boom!

Centered on A Zi's tiny body, an indescribably violent purple lightning erupted! It was no longer a scattering of fine sparks, but like the first divine lightning that split heaven and earth! The dazzling purple light instantly engulfed her small figure, and countless thick purple lightning snakes danced wildly, tearing through the air with deafening roars!

Lin Xuan reacted extremely quickly. His Chaos Undying Body automatically activated, a layer of chaotic light enveloping Jin Bao and Yu Lin. You Ye, meanwhile, instantly floated back several feet, her dark purple eyes filled with astonishment.

The violent lightning energy, like a bursting dam, surged wildly through A Zi's tiny body! Her skin instantly became transparent, revealing countless intricate purple lightning patterns frantically spreading and growing within her bones, blood, and meridians! A terrifying pressure, originating from ancient times, as if a sleeping giant had been awakened, slowly began to revive!

"Ugh!" A Zi let out a scream, both painful and strangely exhilarating. Her small body uncontrollably floated up, enveloped within a massive purple lightning sphere! The lightning sphere continued to expand wildly, its destructive aura causing even the Tribulation Transcenders, who had just been assigned their posts and hadn't gone far, to feel their hearts pound!

"The Innate Lightning God Body is beginning to awaken!" Lin Xuan's eyes lit up. Far from panicking, he was filled with anticipation. He raised his hand to form a seal, and the massive Chaos Thunder Tribulation Pool deep within his Dantian rumbled!

"Lightning Pool! Give her a boost!" Lin Xuan low-roared.

Rumble! A column of purplish-black light, as thick as a bucket and composed of pure destructive lightning, shot out from the Thunder Tribulation Pool, accurately injecting into the violent purple lightning sphere surrounding A Zi!

It was like adding fuel to a fire!

Boom! Crack!

The purple lightning sphere around A Zi instantly expanded tenfold! The dazzling lightning illuminated the entire Star Palace plaza as if it were daytime! Countless thick purple lightning bolts, like wild dragons, shot towards the sky, violently crashing into the protective grand formation above the Star Palace, causing ripples to spread everywhere!

Throughout the entire Flowing Fire Desert, any existence with a cultivation above True Immortal felt a sudden jolt in their heart, looking in the direction of the Star Palace with horror! That nascent, yet incomparably tyrannical, lightning origin aura seemed to declare the birth of a future supreme being!

The lightning continued for a full quarter of an hour before slowly receding.

As the light dissipated, A Zi's small figure reappeared, slowly descending back to the ground. Her new clothes had long since turned to ash, replaced by a form-fitting small armor forged from pure purple lightning, upon which flowed profound lightning patterns. Her previously messy dark purple short hair was now crystal clear, as if carved from amethyst, swaying without wind, with tiny purple electric sparks still dancing at the tips.

Most astonishing were her eyes! Deep within those amethyst-like pupils, a chaotic lightning universe seemed to be contained, and with every blink, fine electric light flashed and disappeared. A lightning pressure, though nascent, yet incredibly pure, naturally emanated from her.

She looked at her small hands, covered with tiny lightning patterns, in confusion, then looked up at Lin Xuan, her small mouth pouting, and with a tearful voice, she said: "Master, my clothes are gone again." Her voice was clear, with a strange hum, as if lightning was resonating.

Lin Xuan laughed heartily, casually pulling out a spare robe made of special lightning silkworm silk from his storage ring and wrapping it around her: "It's fine! Just prepare more in the future! How do you feel?"

A Zi felt the surging, seemingly inexhaustible power within her body. Her small face first showed confusion, then a dazzlingly bright smile, and she nodded vigorously: "Mm! Warm! Swollen! I feel like I can help Master beat up bad guys!" She subconsciously raised her hand, and with a crackle at her fingertip, a foot-long purple electric arc shot out, easily melting a small hole in a nearby piece of hard Star Steel used for decoration.

Jin Bao curiously poked the electric arc with his paw, resulting in a yelp as his paw went numb from the shock. He buried his head in Lin Xuan's arms, looking aggrieved. Yu Lin, meanwhile, silently hid the half-eaten pillar fragment behind her, warily watching the electric sparks dancing at A Zi's fingertip.

"Good! That's promising!" Lin Xuan was very pleased, ruffling A Zi's newly smoothed purple short hair. "From now on, you'll be Master's power bank—ahem, you'll be Master's assistant for lightning techniques!" He casually broke off a small piece of the Star Steel pillar that A Zi had melted and threw it to Yu Lin. "Here, this is hard, good for gnawing."

Yu Lin's eyes lit up. She took the metal piece, which still had traces of melting on its edge, and bit into it with a crunch, her eyes narrowing in satisfaction.

Just then, Yun Qingyao's clear and cold voice, with a hint of undetectable fatigue, rang out over the plaza: "Reporting, Master, the disciples' posts have been initially assigned. Please review, Master."

Lin Xuan looked up. Good heavens!

Above the plaza, although the millions of cultivators had largely dispersed, hundreds of thousands still stood in neat formation. Yun Qingyao stood in mid-air, her moon-white immortal armor spotless, her True Immortal early-stage pressure as solid as a mountain. A faint illusion of a cold, clear moon shimmered behind her, suppressing the chaotic aura.

In front of her, a giant screen of light, condensed from chaotic starlight, floated. It was densely packed with lists of personnel and cultivation realms for various departments and areas of the Star Palace, clearly organized and with defined responsibilities:

Inner Sect Tribulation Transcenders and above: approximately one million.

Patrol and Alert: Led by Leng Yuechan, commanding the Nirvana Sword Hall sword cultivators. Elites were drawn from three million sword cultivators, divided into one hundred teams, covering the ten-thousand-mile boundary of the Dao field.

Core Area Guard: The main hall, medicinal garden, Thunder Pool, and Merit Hall were guarded by Kong Ming, leading the elite Martial Monk Corps, who set up the Vajra Demon Subduing Array.

Combat Readiness Duty: Led by Ye Chen, commanding the Nirvana Walkers, and Mo Sha, commanding the Ancient Demon Battle Group, on standby at all times.

Special Mobile Units: Led by Linglong, commanding the Demonic Sound Sect, and You Ye, commanding the Netherworld Reconnaissance Group. Su Yuan was in overall charge of intelligence analysis.

Outer Sect Mahayana Stage: approximately four million.

Medicinal Garden Planting and Maintenance: Led by Mu Ling Nannan, with hundreds of thousands of disciples skilled in wood-element spells.

Pill Hall and Artifact Hall: Assisted by Feng Qiqi, providing elite fire control masters from the Divine Fire Army. Large numbers of disciples were responsible for material processing and basic refining.

Spirit Beast Garden: Jin Bao was stationed there, but it was actually managed by experienced beast-form cultivators.

Mission Hall (acceptance and distribution): Huang Yan was in charge, assisted by Liu Ruyan, with a large number of Outer Sect Disciples handling paperwork and calculating merits.

Merit Exchange Hall: Also overseen by Huang Yan, with Liu Ruyan supervising.

Infrastructure Maintenance and Dao Field Expansion: Chu Xinghe was in overall charge, leading his engineering team, who were faster at demolishing cities than building them, enthusiastically beginning to plan the foundation for the Chaos Heavenly Cycle Grand Array.

Logistics Support and Resource Transportation: Led by Xue Li, commanding the Flower Demon Maid Group, and Qing Xuan, commanding the Purification Special Operations Team.

Exclusive Transportation and Rapid Response: Lie Tian Divine Tiger, on standby at all times.

Small Immortal Realm Liaison and Talent Transfer: Xuanji Zi, maintaining contact with the Small Immortal Realm through special channels.

Heavenly Abyss Garrison: Lu Chen and Yan Ling'er, commanding several million Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation disciples, guarding the Heavenly Abyss and simultaneously training troops.

The entire allocation process was swift and decisive. Millions of cultivators, like precise gears, quickly found their positions under Yun Qingyao's command. The Star Palace Dao field, which had been somewhat chaotic due to the arrival of the million-strong army, became orderly at a visible pace.

Liu Ruyan stood not far from Lin Xuan, looking at the vast and efficient structure on the light screen, and then at the woman in the sky, as cold as the moon, commanding with perfect composure. Her last trace of arrogance, born from the disparity in strength, transformed into heartfelt admiration. This Senior Sister indeed possessed the demeanor of an Empress! Managing a million immortal soldiers was like moving her own arm.

Huang Yan stood at the entrance of the newly constructed Mission Hall, her large eyes shining incredibly brightly as she looked at the elder designation next to her name on the light screen. She couldn't help but curve her lips, her previous resentment completely gone, and with full enthusiasm, she began directing the disciples under her to arrange the hall's facilities.

"Mm, Qing Yao handles things, and I am at ease," Lin Xuan nodded to Yun Qingyao in the air, very satisfied. Being a hands-off boss was indeed comfortable.

His gaze swept over the busy disciples below, and he spotted two familiar figures. Lu Chen and Yan Ling'er were standing in front of the teleportation array, about to return to the Heavenly Abyss, bowing to him. Lu Chen's aura was steady, and the long sword at his waist carried Leng Yuechan's unique Nirvana Sword Intent. Yan Ling'er was surrounded by rising crimson flames, the aura of the Divine Phoenix True Flame several times purer and more powerful than before.

"Hall Master! In the Heavenly Abyss, with us there, you can rest assured!" Lu Chen clasped his fists, his eyes firm. "Hall Master! We will train diligently, waiting for you to lead us to slaughter through the Asura's lair next time!" Yan Ling'er waved her small fist, flames dancing.

Lin Xuan waved his hand: "Go, and guard the home well. Once things are settled here, I'll take you to play on a bigger stage in the Immortal Realm."

After seeing off Lu Chen and Yan Ling'er, Lin Xuan's gaze once again turned towards the Immortal Alliance Headquarters, his fingers lightly tapping his knee.

"Master, the Immortal Alliance..." Yun Qingyao descended beside Lin Xuan, asking in a low voice. The arrival of a million True Immortals, and incidentally killing an elder and five thousand immortal soldiers of the opposing side, was too big a commotion. The Immortal Alliance couldn't possibly have no reaction.

"Mm, it's time to meet that Alliance Master Bai Li," Lin Xuan stood up, stretched, his bones crackling. His mid-stage Heavenly Immortal realm aura was perfectly harmonious and flawless. "She's been shouldering the burden for the Immortal Realm for tens of thousands of years; it's not easy. Although there are many parasites in the Immortal Alliance, this Alliance Master is worth giving face to."

He paused, his gaze towards the Immortal Alliance carrying a hint of playfulness: "However, showing up empty-handed isn't very good. I need to prepare a generous gift." He flicked a finger, and a subtle wisp of Chaos Sword Intent danced at his fingertip, as if he once again saw Zhao Wuji, the late-stage Golden Immortal elder whose glabella he had pierced with a single finger.

That old fellow Tie Zhan must have returned to the Immortal Alliance to report, right? He wondered what kind of expression that Nine-tailed Immortal Fox Alliance Master would have when she heard that he, Lin Xuan, was coming to visit with millions of disciples and fifteen freshly minted True Immortal apprentices?

Lin Xuan's lips curved into a wicked smile: "Qing Yao, prepare a grand gift list. And by the way, have our people fill in that big pit at the entrance. It's too much of an eyesore and affects the appearance of our Star Palace." He pointed to the hundred-mile-wide giant scorched pit left by Hu Buwei and his five thousand immortal soldiers.

Yun Qingyao, intelligent as she was, instantly understood what Lin Xuan's 'generous gift' and 'grand gift list' referred to. A rare, faint smile appeared on her usually cold face: "Yes, Master. I will go and handle it now."

In front of the massive gate tower of the Star Palace, several Mahayana stage disciples from the original Qingyan City, who had just been assigned gate-guarding duties, stood with straight backs in their brand-new Star Palace Outer Sect uniforms, diligently adapting to their new identity and environment. One of them was a trusted subordinate of Tie Zhan, the former captain of the Qingyan City guard.

He looked at the distant, enormous scorched pit being rapidly filled by Chu Xinghe's engineering team, felt the invisible pressure from the million strong auras within the Star Palace, and then recalled the complex and inexpressible look in his own City Lord Tie Zhan's eyes when he left. Only one thought remained in his mind:

"The times have changed. The Flowing Fire Desert, and indeed the entire Immortal Realm, is truly about to change. The Immortal Alliance? Heh..." He subconsciously touched the Star Palace token at his waist, and a sense of belonging quietly emerged. Following such a Hall Master seemed not bad? At least he wouldn't have to suffer the indignities of those Immortal Alliance parasites anymore!