[Xuanming Gongqing Heaven had originally ranked thirteenth among the Thirty-Six Heavens, making it the foremost of the Middle Twelve Heavens. Now, that position had been taken by Qingming Hetong Heaven. Xuanming Gongqing Heaven had also failed to gain any advantage in the previous "Sun and Moon Shine Together" Change of All Heavens, so it could only rank behind it.]
[Yet if one truly compared their overall strength, Xuanming Gongqing Heaven was actually stronger than Qingming Hetong Heaven. At its peak, it had occupied a place among the Ten Directions Heaven for a long time, and only in recent eras had it begun to show signs of decline.]
[Still, the same saying held true: a starved camel was bigger than a horse. In terms of combat power, Xuanming Gongqing Heaven could still contend with the lower-ranked worlds among the Ten Directions Heaven.
This world had two true shortcomings. First, there were fewer and fewer outstanding figures among the younger generation, and their quality was uneven. Its successor force was insufficient.
The second was that, as a neutral world, Xuanming Gongqing Heaven contained an extraordinary number of top forces—thirteen in total, each with a Quasi-Emperor overseeing it. These forces were also at odds with one another, harboring mutual enmity and fighting their own battles. It was difficult for any truly decisive powerhouse to unite them.]
[Precisely because they could start fighting even while standing together, let alone unite, Xuanming Gongqing Heaven had found it increasingly difficult to gain any benefit in many major events. In such a "Great Age of Contention," Xuanming Gongqing Heaven's situation had made it so that if they did not advance, they would retreat!
Even after Daojun Wuhui became the new Co-lord of Heaven and Earth, he had never found a solution to this fundamental problem...]
[Xuanming Gongqing