Invested as Prince Who Quells the North by the Nine Heavens, Fortune Forms a Cauldron to Secure the Realm

The Nine-Dragon Golden Boat, the immense golden spirit vessel that represented supreme imperial authority and the exalted status of the imperial clan in the Great Zhou Immortal Dynasty, began a steady, exceedingly slow descent, guided by the glowing guidance formations that crisscrossed Heavenly Abyss City like a spiderweb.

Unlike its arrivals in other great provinces, it did not descend with overbearing arrogance, looking down upon all beneath it.

Instead, while still a full hundred miles from Heavenly Abyss City, it voluntarily lowered its altitude and even deactivated every defensive formation aboard, granting this new city and its newly ascended Realm Lord the highest respect.

The enormous golden hull traced an elegant arc through the air before coming to a smooth halt at the exclusive imperial harbor in the very heart of the Heavenly Abyss Protectorate.

Banners snapped in the wind around the harbor.

Zhang Cheng wore the dark official robes of a Chief Secretary, while Hu Hao and Pang Song stood resplendent in full armor, leading troops arrayed on either side. At the very front stood Chu Bai and Chief Grand Elder Xuanmingzi.

Chu Bai wore a moon-white scholar's robe, his hands clasped behind his back. After unsealing his true spirit essence and refining three Purple Abode Demon Cores, his once black-and-white hair had completely regained its lustrous, ink-black color.

The Black-Purple Lotus Demon Mark that had once radiated boundless sinister evil from his brow had now vanished entirely. Only a noble, profound violet-gold divine mark remained, faintly shimmering in the sunlight with the pale purple qi of Great Zhou's national destiny.

He stood there quietly, his bearing returned to pristine simplicity, like a secluded spring whose depths could never be fathomed. Not the slightest ripple of spell power could be detected.

Yet aboard the newly landed Nine-Dragon Golden Boat,