136: Chapter 136 Preparations Before Departure

Li Xuan decided to attend the Jade Pool Grand Assembly.

With a single command.

The Little Heavenly Court, which had begun to take shape, this massive war machine, roared into operation.

Countless resources poured in from all directions.

Flowing into every department of the Heavenly Court.

Transforming into the immense power for the expedition.

A great battle was imminent.

Tension, excitement, and absolute confidence.

This atmosphere enveloped the entire Southern Heaven Gate.

The Alchemy Department, Tushita Palace.

The soaring Alchemy fires burned the sky above the palace complex into a deep orange-red.

Hundreds of Pill Furnaces were operating at full capacity, day and night without pause.

The newly appointed head of the Alchemy Department, Dan Lingzi, was personally coordinating the efforts.

The rich fragrance of medicine formed auspicious clouds, shrouding the surrounding area.

For the Heavenly Court members working here, even a single breath was enough to improve their cultivation.

"Hurry! Furnace No. 3, increase the input of Nine Heavens Gale, refine the pill body! Faster!"

"Furnace No. 17! Prepare for the Pill Tribulation! Where is the guard team? Form the Formation!"

Dan Lingzi had lost his usual leisurely, immortal-like demeanor.

Holding a whisk, his spiritual body darted between the Pill Furnaces.

Rapid and precise commands were issued from his mouth.

Batch after batch of high-rank Immortal Pills were being continuously refined.

In ordinary times, these Immortal Pills would be enough to make any Golden Immortal green with envy.

There were Grand Unity Return-to-Heaven Pills that could instantly replenish Immortal Qi.

There were Nine-Turn Heart-Protecting Pills capable of blocking a fatal blow from a Taiyi Golden Immortal.

And there were Great Void Formless Pills that could conceal one's aura and allow one to merge with the Void Realm.

Any one of them, if leaked to the outside world, would cause a storm of blood and slaughter.

Yet at this moment, they were being loaded onto trays, placed into jade boxes, and labeled.

Becoming standard supplies for this expedition.

This level of extravagance would likely shatter the Dao Heart of any Immortal Dynasty outside if they were to see it.

Unlike the bustling activity of the Alchemy Department, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was solemn and efficient.

The Heavenly Secrets Pavilion was a newly established department at Li Xuan's behest.

It was led by his third son, Li Cai.

Relying on the commercial network of the Heavenly Court Bank that spanned the wastelands of the Immortal Realm, he had constructed an all-encompassing intelligence network.

With Immortal Crystals as the bones and profit as the blood.

At this moment, in the central hall of the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion headquarters.

Countless pieces of intelligence, carried by special spirit birds or Talismans, flew in from all directions.

Finally converging into a massive water mirror in the center.

On the water mirror, streams of information refreshed rapidly.

[The Sect Master of the Hunyuan Immortal Sect, Old Ancestor Qiankun, has emerged from seclusion, accompanied by thirty-six Taiyi Golden Guards, traveling on the Hunyuan Wuji Boat, departed three days ago, destination: Yaochi.]

[Abnormal activity in the North Sea; a giant Kun has breached the surface, blotting out the stars, suspected to be the Demon Master Kun Jiuxiao, accompanied by seventy-two routes of Taiyi Demon Kings, intentions unclear.]

[In the south, the main body of Empress Huanqian of the Ten Thousand Demon Ridge has not moved, but three hundred Incarnations have infiltrated various factions, sneaking into Yaochi.]

[In the Western Extremity, Sword Qi soared into the heavens; the Sword Burier, carrying ten thousand swords on his back, kills with every step on the road to Yaochi, having already slain and plundered the swords of three Taiyi Loose Immortals along the way.]

"Hmph, a bunch of old fogies, none of them can sit still anymore."

Li Cai now looked somewhat like a teenager.

He sat on a throne crafted from Immortal Source Divine Crystals, his small legs crossed and swaying.

Looking at the secrets scrolling on the water mirror, a mature smile appeared on his face.

It was the smile of a capitalist seeing prey.

He waved his small hand.

His milky voice carried an unquestionable authority.

"Organize and archive the intelligence on these big clients, analyze the weaknesses of their Cultivation Techniques, the characteristics of their Magic Treasures, and their personality flaws. Then, have the sales staff approach their entourage to see if there are any opportunities for cooperation. Remember, know yourself and know your enemy, and you can harvest... ah, no, win every battle!"

The most crucial preparation for this expedition was taking place in the Void Realm outside the Southern Heaven Gate.

A massive Immortal Boat, comparable to a small continent, floated silently in the Chaos.

It was the zhou tian star boat that Li Xuan had obtained early on through check-ins.

Now, it was about to undergo a transformation.

Surrounding the Immortal Boat, tens of thousands of Formation Masters were working in an orderly manner.

Directing them was a child who looked only two or three years old.

This child was Li Xuan's seventh son, Li Qiankun, who was born with the Hongmeng Array Body.

"Idiots! The Taiyi Profound Text on the C-3 Formation base is carved incorrectly! It's off by 0.01 millimeters! This will cause a delay of one ten-thousandth of a breath in energy circulation, which in high-intensity combat, is enough to cause the hull's defense to collapse a hundred times! Tear it down and carve it again!"

Li Qiankun sat on a lotus platform formed by gathered Formation patterns, his small finger pointing into the distance.

A Golden Immortal-rank Formation Master was sweating profusely.

That master, who was capable of founding a sect in the outside world, couldn't even raise his head after being scolded in public by the toddler.

He dared not utter a single word of complaint.

Instead, he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly led his men to rework it.

They all knew that while this little ancestor was small, his attainments in the Dao of Formations were simply godlike.

Li Qiankun ignored their awe.

In his eyes, countless Formation diagrams were born and died, extremely complex.

He used the zhou tian star boat's grand Formation as the master outline.

Using three hundred and sixty-five Heavenly Court Core Disciples as nodes.

He connected their Divine Souls to the core of the Immortal Boat.

He had actually fused this defensive Formation with the zhou tian star boat itself.

Under his modification, this Immortal Boat was no longer just a means of transportation.

It had become a mobile war fortress.

Capable of autonomously absorbing the power of the stars, integrating offense and defense, and strong enough to withstand the onslaught of a Grand Unity Golden Immortal.

An absolute territory of the Heavenly Court, floating in the Void Realm.

The entire Heavenly Court was operating at high speed for the trip to Yaochi.

The few Core Disciples selected to accompany them were also transforming in their own ways.

Deep within the Heavenly Court, the Sword Tomb.

This was a place Li Xuan had personally created for Li Changsheng.

Here were buried all the Immortal Swords of the enemies slain since the establishment of the Heavenly Court.

Tens of thousands of Immortal Swords were thrust upside down into the ground, forming a grim forest of swords.

Every sword exuded unwillingness and lingering Sword Intent.

Li Changsheng sat cross-legged in the center of the sword forest.

His eyes were tightly closed, his expression solemn.

His small wooden sword lay horizontally across his knees.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes.

From his double pupils, terrifying Sword Qi erupted.

"Hum!"

A sword hum from ancient times echoed endlessly.

The next moment, throughout the entire Sword Tomb, tens of thousands of Immortal Swords.

Whether they were True Immortal Rank or Golden Immortal rank.

At the same moment, they silently turned into dust.

All their spirituality, materials, and Sword Dao Laws were forcibly extracted in an instant by a supreme will.

All of them submerged into the small wooden sword in Li Changsheng's hand.

"Crack."

A tiny space crack flashed and vanished before him.

It was not caused by him slashing.

But rather, the Sword Intent he unconsciously emitted was sharp enough to tear the space of the Immortal Realm.

His Sword Dao had already touched upon the immortal Sword Law of the Golden Immortal Realm.

Heavenly Court Library.

Li Taiyin was not in closed-door cultivation.

She stood before a massive water mirror.

On the mirror surface, countless streams of information flowed past.

This second princess of the Heavenly Court, with her Taiyin Dao Body, governed the entire internal affairs and logistics of the Heavenly Court.

"Reporting to Princess, the first batch of three thousand Nine-Turn Heart-Protecting Pills from the Alchemy Department has been completed. Should they be sent to the star boat immediately?"

An Immortal official asked respectfully.

"Keep one thousand in the warehouse for backup. Send the other two thousand to the boat. Also, pass on my order to Protector Xuanfeng to select five hundred Profound Immortals proficient in combined attack techniques from the Heavenly Soldiers to serve as the permanent guard team for the star boat."

Li Taiyin did not turn her head, her voice cold and clear, her instructions precise.

She had a steady temperament.

After Li Xuan decided on the expedition, she took the initiative to shoulder all the coordinating work.

From the major modification of the Immortal Boat to the minor distribution of Immortal Pills.

All complex matters were handled in an orderly manner in her hands.

...

Imperial Palace back garden.

A scene was unfolding that even surprised Li Xuan.

His ninth son, Li Shikong, who had just learned to walk not long ago, was clumsily chasing a jade-winged butterfly.

Seeing the jade-winged butterfly flying higher and higher, Li Shikong pouted his small mouth in distress.

He stretched out his chubby little hand, grabbing at the air in front of him.

With a soft "pop" sound.

His figure suddenly disappeared from where he stood.

When he reappeared, he was directly in mid-air in front of the jade-winged butterfly, holding it firmly in his hands.

But before he could be happy, his little hand holding the butterfly curiously flicked it.

"Iya?"

Li Shikong blinked his large eyes, revealing a hint of confusion.

And fragments of future scenes flashed by.

He saw a blurry fragment.

In front of the massive Immortal Boat, in a violent thunder marsh, a hideous nine-headed thunder dragon was roaring in anger.

He subconsciously let go, and the jade-winged butterfly flew away.

He tilted his little head and shouted at the Void Realm not far away.

"Father, the dragon is angry."

Li Xuan's figure appeared silently, coming up behind him and picking him up.

The surprise in his eyes was almost overflowing.

Ordinary divination techniques could only see Karma and the vague general trend.

His son, however, could directly see future scenes by instinct.

That nine-headed thunder dragon was likely a major variable in this voyage.

With Li Shikong, this trip had an extra layer of foresight protection.

"My son, you are truly Father's trump card."

Li Xuan dotingly pinched his son's little cheek.

After observing the children's growth, Li Xuan was not idle himself.

He sat cross-legged on the imperial throne in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

As the Heavenly Court developed and his offspring grew, the immense power of Luck was continuously fed back to him through his Bloodline.

His newly broken-through Taiyi Golden Immortal First Heavenly Layer Realm was rapidly solidified under this feedback.

His Realm did not improve, but his control over the Taiyi Laws and his application of power reached a level of perfection far exceeding those of the same rank.

Every one of his thoughts, every wisp of Immortal Qi, was flawless.

Li Xuan was now confident that if he were to face the half-step Taiyi Corpse Emperor again, he wouldn't need to make a move.

Just by his aura, he could cause the other's Dao to collapse and his soul to perish.

"Hum!"

Time passed quietly.

Outside the Southern Heaven Gate, three hundred and sixty-five brilliant stars lit up around the massive zhou tian star boat.

Announcing that all modifications and upgrades were complete.

Li Xuan also opened his eyes.

His gaze was calm, yet deeper than the sea of stars outside the hall.

It was time.

The sixty-year appointment had arrived today.

The Void Realm docking area outside the Southern Heaven Gate.

The upgraded zhou tian star boat floated silently.

On the massive hull, countless profound Formation patterns flickered, emitting a heart-palpitating aura.

At the bow of the ship, Li Xuan stood with his hands behind his back.

His black imperial robe fluttered in the turbulence of the Void Realm.

To his left, Li Changsheng, dressed in white, held his wooden sword, his face showing a coldness inconsistent with his age, and it seemed as if a sword was humming in his eyes.

To his right, Li Taiyin, dressed in palace attire, had a cold and detached expression.

Li Shikong, in his arms, was curiously chewing his finger, his clear, large eyes reflecting the vast sea of stars before them.

Everything was ready.

Personnel were assembled.

Li Xuan looked straight ahead.

That was the distant Yaochi Holy Land, which even a Grand Unity Golden Immortal would have to spend endless years to reach.

He only uttered two words:

"Set sail!"