Temporarily Leaving the Starry Sky, Evil Demons Attack

Seeing this, Xihe and Changxi each took out their Lunar Divine Swords as well, transforming into two shimmering white streaks of light that entered the Starry Sky Gourd together.

Lingxiao then placed the Three Lights Divine Water into the Starry Sky Gourd before wrapping an arm around each woman, letting them sit on his thighs. Their skin touched, their soft bodies pressed close, and the three of their auras blended seamlessly together.

The Sun's golden radiance cascaded magnificently like a waterfall, while Lunar Moonlight shone bright as silken ribbons, both pouring endlessly into the gourd. Through the self-contained Heavenly Cycle Star-Dipper Layout within it, they nourished the three divine swords day and night.

The three origins of sun, moon, and stars intertwined and resonated within the gourd, forming a perfect Three Lights Three Talents Sword-Nurturing Formation.

Indeed, "The starry sky nourishes sun and moon; one sword transforms Heaven-Earth." Given time, the three divine swords would surely rise to another level, their power surpassing what it had once been.

"Hmm?"

After refining them like this for three hundred years, Lingxiao frowned slightly.

He discovered that an indelible barrier had always remained between the three divine swords and the Starry Sky Gourd.

It turned out that the Sun God Sword and Lunar Divine Sword were Merit Spirit Treasures infused with the merit of establishing the Twelve Time Markers, while the Starry Sky Gourd was merely an ordinary top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Their Dao rhythms were incompatible, making it difficult for them to truly merge.

If he relied on the steady trickle of merit earned from establishing the Twelve Time Markers and the Heavenly Marriage to slowly nurture and refine it, it would likely take over ten thousand Yuanhui for the Starry Sky Gourd to transform into a Merit Spirit Treasure and completely erase that barrier.

Time itself held no meaning for Lingxiao, but he knew well that sitting around and waiting for merit to come knocking was not a long-term solution.

Once the Calamity was about to erupt, all kinds of karma would intertwine and killing tribulations would spring up everywhere. Seeking merit then would mean thorns at every step, with the slightest misstep staining one with karmic sin.

—The path of cautious survival had never meant blindly yielding. It meant taking the initiative to lay plans while it was safe and building up one's foundation, so one could secure a foothold amid a Calamity.

Moreover, ever since discussing the Dao with the Dao Ancestor at Violet Firmament Palace, Lingxiao had understood in his heart that, as the Solar Sovereign who inherited Pangu's legacy and commanded the harmonious yang qi of Heaven and Earth, he ought to be like the sun shining upon all things and accomplish something tangible for the Primordial World.

If he simply watched one Calamity after another continuously drain the Primordial World's origin, eventually shattering Heaven and Earth, bringing about the end of the Dharma age, and causing the gods and Buddhas of the Three Realms to vanish without a trace, then even a sovereign of the starry sky like him would not escape the fallout of Heaven and Earth's collapse.

When the nest was overturned, how could any egg remain intact?

With all these factors intertwined, Lingxiao finally made up his mind. He would leave the mountain and seek merit, perfect the order of the Heavenly Dao, and accumulate enough strength to stand firm—for the Primordial World, and for himself.

He lowered his head to look at the two women in his arms and softly told them of his plans.

"Hubby is leaving the mountain? Then Sister and I will go with you!" Upon hearing this, Changxi immediately wrapped her arms around Lingxiao's neck, pressed her cheek against his shoulder, and said sweetly, her eyes full of anticipation.

"No." Lingxiao gently shook his head and rubbed the top of her head, his tone tender yet firm. "The Sun Star and Lunar Star are the foundations of the Primordial Starry Sky. They absolutely cannot both be left unguarded. The two of you will remain on the Sun Star, oversee the starry sky, and keep the Heavenly Stellar Array running steadily. That will be your greatest help to me."

"Rest assured. I have the Nine-Dragon Treasure Staff to protect me and the Chaos Bell in hand. Even if I encounter a Primordial Golden Immortal, I can still retreat unscathed. Nothing will happen."

This was naturally an excuse. Even without anyone guarding them, the sun and moon would not suffer any serious harm.

The reason he would not bring Xihe and Changxi along was because Lingxiao had no absolute confidence that he could keep all three of them safe.

If he were alone, however, things would be different.

Even if a Primordial Golden Immortal attacked him, he was confident he could escape intact.

Besides, he already had plans for obtaining merit this time. They concerned the mountains, rivers, and earth veins of the Primordial Lands, and would not require the Lunar Star's power.

Naturally, there was no need to let the two women risk their lives for nothing.

Seeing the certainty in Lingxiao's eyes, Xihe nodded gently, reached out to hold his hand, and said softly, "Rest easy, Husband. My sister and I will guard the Sun Star well and wait for your return."

In the past, she would likely have worried about Lingxiao's safety as he traveled the Primordial World alone.

But now, the Nine-Dragon Treasure Staff secretly gifted by Candle Dragon had undoubtedly given her considerable trust and confidence.

Whoosh!

After bidding the two women farewell, Lingxiao did not delay. The moment he left Lingxiao Palace, he transformed into a golden rainbow and flew straight down toward the Primordial Lands.

After establishing the Twelve Time Markers, the starry sky's configuration had been settled, and the merit of the starry sky was not urgent. Thus, Lingxiao's purpose this time was to sort out the demonic qi and Sha Qi across the land.

As Candle Dragon had feared, there were great supernatural beings in the Primordial World who wished to befriend Lingxiao, but there were also unorthodox cultivators with dark intentions.

Not every unorthodox cultivator was evil, but the wicked demons among them were the common enemy of all living beings!

What was a demon? What were wicked demonic cultivators?

Those who harmed others to benefit themselves, who primarily cultivated by devouring the origins, flesh, blood, and even Primordial Spirits of Innate Sacred Beings of the same attribute, seizing another's entire cultivation—those were demons! Those were wicked demonic cultivators!

Such conduct was naturally intolerable to all living beings. Therefore, most of the time, these wicked demonic cultivators hid everywhere like rats in sewers, not daring to show their faces.

And within the Primordial Starry Sky, there happened to be a powerful evil demon entrenched there, one with ties to the Lunar Star lineage.

Ever since Lingxiao established the Twelve Time Markers, this being had kept its eyes on the Sun Star, waiting for an opportunity to move. It wished to devour the Solar Origin and make up for its own deficiency in Yin-Yang, but it had never found a suitable chance.

—There were also ancient great powers living in seclusion within the starry sky. If it openly attacked the Sun Star with great fanfare, it would certainly come to no good end.

Now, Lingxiao had left the Sun Star once more, and the demon spotted him at once. It secretly followed Lingxiao, then launched a fierce sneak attack after he left the starry sky and passed through the Thirty-Three Heavens.

Boom!

A jet-black streak of light abruptly shot out from the depths of the void, swift as lightning, carrying bone-chilling cold and boundless resentment as it stabbed straight toward Lingxiao's back.

Within the treasure light, one could vaguely see a sinister weapon shaped like a curved black moon scimitar. Its surface was covered in twisted, bizarre runes, and wherever it passed, the void was corroded into wisps of black smoke.

Clang!

Fortunately, Lingxiao was cautious by nature. He had remained vigilant ever since leaving the Sun Star, and at the critical moment, he drew the Sun God Sword with a backhanded motion.

The instant the divine sword left its sheath, blazing golden sunlight illuminated Heaven and Earth. Solar True Fire condensed into a crimson-gold Sword Qi, which, empowered by the mana of a late-stage Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, slashed fiercely against that black curved hook.

The deafening ring of metal striking metal echoed out as terrifying shockwaves spread in every direction, pulverizing the mountains below.

Pfft!

Lingxiao felt an overwhelming, sinister force crash into him. His blood and qi churned violently, and he could not help spitting out a mouthful of blood. He was flung tens of thousands of miles away, his expression instantly turning grave.

"Primordial Golden Immortal!"

He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze fixed firmly on the void ahead.

To wound him with a single strike, the other party's cultivation was undoubtedly that of a Primordial Golden Immortal!

Following Lingxiao's gaze, the void a thousand miles ahead twisted slightly, and a gaunt figure slowly emerged.

The demon was short and withered, as though a gust of wind could blow it over. Yet it was wrapped in towering black qi and the resentment of countless beings it had devoured. Its evil aura soared to the heavens, inspiring fear at a glance.

It held the black moon scimitar in one hand and stood upon an ink-black skull. A wisp of ghostly fire that would never go out danced atop the skull, while a pair of triangular eyes glittered with gloom and greed as it stared fixedly at Lingxiao, as if looking at an unparalleled treasure.

"Hehehe, little brat, you do have some skill."

The gaunt demon let out a piercing, strange laugh. Its voice was sharp and hoarse, like fingernails scraping against glass:

"But that is all. I know you have many friends, but distant water cannot put out an immediate fire. A mere Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal who survived one strike from me has enough to be proud of. Today, offer up your Solar Origin and fulfill my Great Dao!"

Its tone brimmed with absolute certainty, as though it had already taken Lingxiao for dead.

In its view, even if a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal possessed a few hidden trump cards, before an absolute gap in cultivation, he was no more than a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

"Oh? Is that so?"

Lingxiao's face remained calm as still water. Not only was there none of the panic the demon had expected, but a faint smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Hmm?"

This extraordinary composure abruptly gave the demon a faint sense of foreboding.

Whoosh!

Yet before it could react in any way, an ebony treasure staff flew from Lingxiao's sea of consciousness between his brows. It grew with the wind and hovered in midair.

The nine ancient true dragon carvings upon the staff seemed to come alive in an instant.

Hum.

A flash of golden light split into one large and eight small phantasmal true dragons—a total of nine—which coiled through Heaven and Earth.