Divine Spirit Phantoms in the Nine Heavens

Above Great River City, a colossal divine spirit phantom appeared out of thin air. This deity was enthroned in the highest heavens, surrounded by Misty Purple Qi. It wore a headscarf, a battle robe, and battle boots, holding a saber in one hand and stroking its beard with the other. Its eyes seemed to open and close, looking down with supreme divine might that seemed destined to cleanse all impurity from the world.

However, this divine spirit phantom, which almost enveloped the entirety of Great River City, vanished in an instant, only appearing for a few breaths.

Yet, those few breaths were enough to set the entire Great River City ablaze, or more accurately, to set the cultivators within Great River City ablaze.

Ordinary people couldn't sense the divine spirit phantom's existence at all, but to cultivators, that vast divine might was as conspicuous as the great sun in the night sky.

Throughout the city, no matter what the High Gods were doing at that moment, they all felt a connection the instant the divine spirit phantom appeared and rushed out, looking up at the heavens.

Between the clusters of buildings in Great River City, figures streaked out, some standing in courtyards, others leaping onto rooftops. Elders and disciples of the Great River Sect stared at the divine spirit phantom in the sky, frozen in place.

Almost at the same moment Zhang Yan rushed out of the living room and looked up at the sky, his disciple Han Song followed closely behind. Though it was only a fleeting glimpse of the divine spirit phantom before it vanished, that one glance left an extremely deep impression on him. The divine figure, enthroned in the highest heavens with immeasurable divine might, was as if branded onto his heart.

Han Song, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief, trembled, "Wh-what was that? Why would such a terrifying phenomenon occur! Even if that demon succeeded in deification, it wouldn't trigger such a phenomenon..."

The divine spirit phantom dissipated. Zhang Yan ignored Han Song, who was in shock and babbling incoherently. Han Song was not the only one losing his composure; Zhang Yan himself had been deeply shaken when he saw the divine spirit phantom with its vast divine might.

Several figures flew over. The person in the lead was around forty years old, with a refined appearance, dressed in a black robe embroidered with gold thread. He was Yang Li, the Sect Leader of the Great River Sect.

Following behind him were, naturally, several elders of the Great River Sect whose cultivation had reached the Second Realm. Except for Yang Li, the Sect Leader, who maintained some composure, the others all wore expressions of shock.

Exhaling a breath, Zhang Yan bowed to Yang Li, "Greetings, Sect Leader Senior Brother. Greetings, esteemed junior brothers!"

Yang Li nodded at Zhang Yan, while the other elders bowed to Zhang Yan, "Greetings, Second Senior Brother!"

Glancing at Han Song beside him, Yang Li waved his hand, "You may withdraw. Instruct all disciples to remain calm and focused, and not to be disturbed by external matters."

Han Song, regaining his senses, showed a look of shame and respectfully bowed to Yang Li, "I respectfully obey the command of Sect Leader Uncle-Master!"

Yang Li, his expression solemn, looked at Zhang Yan and the others, "Let's go inside and talk."

In the living room, everyone took their seats. The Third Elder, Cui Ying, couldn't help but look at Zhang Yan and say, "Second Brother, what exactly was that divine spirit phantom just now? Judging by its vast divine might, I fear even Gods and Demons of the Heavenly God rank couldn't compare."

An elder widened his eyes, his face full of disbelief, and trembled, "Could this be the existence of the legendary Imperial Sovereign?"

Looking at the reactions in the hall, Zhang Yan, the most cultivated and knowledgeable person in the Great River Sect, sighed softly, "As everyone knows, when Gods and Demons are born, they possess innate ranks, from lowest to highest: Earthly Official, Heavenly God, and Imperial Sovereign. Those we cultivators can usually come into contact with and worship are almost all Earthly Officials of the lower three grades. Their ranks are not high, their birth is easy, and the Incense and Fire Prayer Power required for deification is not too much."

Zhang Yan then looked at everyone present, "It can be said that all the Gods and Demons worshipped by everyone in our Great River Sect, although they have different grades, all belong to the category of Earthly Officials. However, the ranks of the Gods and Demons worshipped by our Divine Palaces and Divine Courts also limit the improvement of our cultivation realms. To break through from the Third Realm to the Fourth Realm is a chasm. One must have a Statue of a God or Demon of the Heavenly God rank enter the body. Without a high-ranking God or Demon Statue to anchor the Sea of Qi and the Divine Palace, and the Sea of Consciousness and the Divine Court, forcefully breaking through will result in severe injuries at best, and the collapse of the Sea of Qi and the dissipation of the Sea of Consciousness at worst."

Everyone's gaze turned to Zhang Yan. They knew that as the strongest person in their Great River Sect, Zhang Yan's cultivation had already reached the peak of the Third Realm. If it weren't for the lack of a Statue of a God or Demon of the Heavenly God rank, Zhang Yan would likely have broken through to the Fourth Realm long ago.

Yang Li's expression turned serious as he looked at Zhang Yan, "Junior Brother, rest assured, even if it takes the combined efforts of our entire Great River Sect, we will help you ascend to the Fourth Realm."

The Third Elder, Cui Ying, said solemnly, "The Three Mountains Demon Subduing Venerable God, worshipped with the Incense and Fire Prayer Power of the entire Great River City, will attain the Heavenly God rank within ten years at most. When that time comes, if Senior Brother invites the God into his body to suppress his Divine Palace and ascend to the Fourth Realm, it will be effortless. At that time, our Great River Sect will also have a place in Taian Prefecture!"

Zhang Yan chuckled, his eyes full of confidence, "Perhaps we won't have to wait for the Three Mountains Demon Subduing Venerable God to attain the Heavenly God rank. In recent years, I have slain many Gods, Demons, and Malevolent Spirits, feeding their Origin Status Shards to the Red-faced One-horned Ghost God within me. At the current rate of progress, within a few years, the Red-faced One-horned Ghost God will break through its shackles and advance from the rank of a high-grade Earthly Official to the rank of a low-grade Heavenly God."

Everyone present rejoiced upon hearing this. They clearly hadn't expected their usually unrestrained Second Elder to have, without anyone knowing, elevated the rank of the deity within him without the sect's help and was about to ascend to the Fourth Realm.

Amidst the congratulations, Yang Li, the Sect Leader, coughed lightly, "Everyone, it is indeed the greatest event for our Great River Sect in a hundred years that Second Junior Brother is about to ascend to the Fourth Realm. However, for now, let's discuss what exactly that divine spirit phantom in the heavens was."

Upon hearing Yang Li's words, everyone's expression turned solemn.

Zhang Yan also became serious and continued, "Ranks also have their highs and lows. Some Heavenly God ranks require the power of a city and a hundred years of incense offerings to be born, while others require the worship of a prefecture. However, the Imperial Sovereign requires the strength of an entire nation, the hearts of millions of people, and the blessing of tens of millions of Incense and Fire Prayer Power to possibly be born."

Cui Ying nodded slightly and pondered, "An Imperial Sovereign, once it grows, a single one can suppress a nation. It is truly rare. How could our Great River City be worthy of having a Statue of an Imperial Sovereign existence? That phenomenon was perhaps the manifestation of a top-tier Heavenly God rank phenomenon."

However, as soon as Cui Ying finished speaking, both Yang Li and Zhang Yan shook their heads in unison, "No, that divine spirit is by no means comparable to the Heavenly God rank."

Taking a deep breath, Zhang Yan's eyes shone with sharp light, "You may not have seen the Misty Purple Qi that flashed across the heavens when the divine spirit phantom manifested. You must know that Misty Purple Qi is one of the symbols of the Imperial Sovereign."

Solemn, tense, and worried expressions immediately appeared on everyone's faces. If that were indeed the case, it was almost certain that the divine spirit phantom was the manifestation of a divine spirit of the Imperial Sovereign.