Below Gai Jiuyou and the Undying Heavenly Empress stood dozens, nearly a hundred, experts of the Immortal Platform Realm.
Had anyone from the Shrouding the Heavens World seen this, they would likely have been utterly astonished.
After all, in the Eastern Wasteland of this era, where "with no Immortal Three kings appearing, Mighty Ones stood at the pinnacle," the "Mighty Ones" of the Immortal Platform Second Step were already existences on the level of holy land masters and ancient sect elders, capable of shaking an entire region with a stamp of their feet.
Yet within the halls of these Ninefold Heavenly Towers, there were nearly a hundred such "Mighty Ones"!
They stood solemnly in separate ranks according to their cultivation and duties.
Among them were quite a few familiar figures from the original work, such as the Peacock King and the Red Dragon Daoist...
More of them were experts Lin Hao had personally nurtured using the Haotian Realm's rules of fortune, loyal only to him and handling affairs on his behalf, such as Jiang Wanwan and Jiang Xiaoxiao...
Their names might not have been widely known outside, but their loyalty and strength were beyond question, forming the solid backbone of the Heavenly Court's vast power structure.
For instance, a black-robed young man standing not far from the Peacock King had a pale face, yet his eyes were like a frigid pool ten thousand years old. He was an itinerant cultivator from the Northern Plains who practiced the Dao of Slaughter.
After joining the Heavenly Court, he had caught Lin Hao's eye and been placed in charge of the "Dark Punishment Department."
There was also a woman in a pale yellow dress, her bearing gentle as water. She appeared frail, but her wondrous arts of heavenly sound had actually reached perfection, and she was one of the officials overseeing the "Rites and Music Department."
Just then.
Seeing that everyone had arrived, Tantai Guyue slowly took two steps forward.
Her cool gaze swept over every expert below, flowing like moonlight, carrying unquestionable majesty.
"Gathered here, you must already have your suspicions. The Heaven-Questioning Bell rang three times, neither because an outside enemy has come knocking at our gates nor because internal unrest has arisen."
She paused briefly. "It is the Primordial Ancient Mine."
"Three days ago, the presence of a Supreme leaked from the Primordial Ancient Mine, and it sent subordinates to probe White Emperor City."
Tantai Guyue's tone was calm, yet in an instant, the temperature throughout the great hall abruptly dropped considerably.
Many people's gazes instantly grew sharp as blades. A trace of killing intent flashed through the eyes of the veteran experts in the front ranks in particular.
The Primordial Ancient Mine, one of the Big Dipper's Life Forbidden Zones, lay in the Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness. It was a peerless land of peril that had endured since ancient times.
Ancient Supremes lay self-sealed within it. It was one of the greatest sources of Dark Turmoil, drawing in and expelling the essence Qi of heaven and earth, treating all living beings as food.
Throughout the ages, countless outstanding figures had ventured inside seeking opportunities, only to end up as withered bones. More often, the beings within awakened and unleashed Dark Turmoil, harvesting the lives of beings across the universe to prolong their own imperial lives.
For the living beings of the Big Dipper and even the entire universe, the Life Forbidden Zones were sharp swords suspended over their heads, sources of indescribable fear and hatred.
"The Primordial Ancient Mine... those things clinging to their last breaths?"
Gai Jiuyou's hunched body straightened slightly, and a fleeting vision of galaxies flickering into extinction flashed through his seemingly clouded old eyes.
"They really never learn," the Red Dragon Daoist said furiously. "When His Majesty had only just become an emperor, he slaughtered the ancient races of the Primordial Ancient Mine until their blood flowed in rivers. Every Supreme hid from the world, not daring to emerge for fear that His Majesty would wipe them out."
"Now that His Majesty has reached his twilight years, they immediately come probing?"
He cupped his hands toward Tantai Guyue. "Empress, give the order!"
"They actually dared to come probing! We must make them understand that the Heavenly Court's majesty cannot be challenged! With His Majesty here, at worst, we'll sink the Primordial Ancient Mine!"
Tantai Guyue nodded slightly. "His Majesty has decreed that in one month, we will march against-the Primordial Ancient Mine."
"This time, kill seven out of ten."
In the Shrouding the Heavens World, within the Ninefold Heavenly Towers.
At this moment, Jiang Wanwan and Jiang Xiaoxiao were absent. Only Zhu Zhuyun and Zhu Zhuqing were there.
Now, the two women finally no longer needed to worry about revealing the existence of the Douluo Continent, so they could be considered to have opened their hearts.
"Why did you come here too?"
Zhu Zhuqing's cool feline eyes rested on her elder sister before her, her voice calm and unruffled.
"I came, naturally, because I was also chosen by Heavenly Screen." At this point, Zhu Zhuyun paused and looked at Zhu Zhuqing. "Then I wanted to find you..."
"As it turned out, I only mentioned Jiang Wanwan's name, and Sister Xiaoxiao came to find me herself."
"Find me?"
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing instantly grew wary again. "What do you want with me?"
"After seeing all these truths about the Shrouding the Heavens World, could it be... you're still thinking about becoming the Star Luo Empire's crown princess and claiming the exalted position of its future empress?"
At these words, Zhu Zhuyun shook her head gently, the corners of her lips lifting into an exceedingly faint, almost self-mocking curve.
"Empress?"
She raised her eyes and looked through the intricately carved window lattice toward the boundless vista of immortal palaces outside, wreathed in clouds and rosy mist.
"After glimpsing the 'truth' of this world, who would still want to return to the Douluo Continent and fight over the illusory authority of that tiny corner?"
She turned her gaze back to her younger sister, whose expression had eased slightly, and explained in her usual composed tone:
"Before I came, Father told me to find you. He also asked me to pass on a message-when your three months here are up and you return to the Douluo Continent, you must visit the Zhu Family."
"Return to the Zhu Family..."
Zhu Zhuqing repeated softly, her expression complicated. "Does he want to teach this unfilial daughter a lesson for defying convention and bringing him shame?"
As Zhu Zhuqing thought this, a flicker of anticipation crossed her eyes.
"Actually, even if he hadn't said anything, I would still go back!"
Zhu Zhuqing lightly clenched her fists. She had already opened up her own Bitter Sea.
She could feel that, even though she was only at the very first stage of the Sea of Bitterness Secret Realm, an unprecedented power had quietly taken root and begun to sprout within her.
Her strength had undergone an earth-shaking transformation!
Exactly how strong had she become? Zhu Zhuqing did not yet have a clear measure.
But she was utterly certain that, three months later, when she once again set foot in that familiar yet cold Zhu Family residence, no one in the Zhu Family would remain her match.
Nor would anyone be able to dictate her fate again under any pretext!
Meanwhile, on the Douluo Continent.
The conversation between the sisters Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun came clearly from the heavenly screen, stirring a wave of irrepressible curiosity.
Shrek Academy.
"Truth?"
Xiao Wu's eyes were filled with curiosity. "What exactly is this 'truth' Zhu Zhuqing and Zhu Zhuyun are talking about?"
"Why would knowing that 'truth' make them disdain even the exalted position of the Star Luo Empire's future empress?"
Tang San shook his head, equally puzzled.
Yu Xiaogang rubbed his chin and murmured to himself, "Our Douluo Continent's Soul Master system is vast and profound. A Titled Douluo is powerful enough to move rocks and fill lakes..."
"From what we've seen so far, that Shrouding the Heavens Realm merely has somewhat more abundant resources and somewhat more unusual scenery."
"Other than that..."
"There doesn't seem to be anything obviously stronger than our Douluo Continent, does there? How strange!"
Ning Rongrong pouted. "It looks like, if we want to truly understand the Shrouding the Heavens World..."
"We can only wait for more people to be transported to the Shrouding the Heavens World, or go there ourselves and take a look at the contents of that jade slip!"
And just as everyone on the Douluo Continent was brimming with curiosity and offering their guesses.
In the scene on the heavenly screen.
The door to Jiang Wanwan's room was pushed open once again.