Planning the Grand Ceremony, the Beast Realm's Scheme!

Shan Wanling, holding a teacup, said with a stern expression, "The matter of the eighth main branch has already been decided at the ancestral court; soon, the entire clan will be informed to prepare for Shi Jian's Spirit Transformation Ceremony."

"Not only that."

"The clan will erect a sacred mountain ten thousand feet high in the heart of the ancestral temple for Shi Jian; to symbolize the eighth main branch of our clan."

Upon hearing this, Shan Li's expression changed slightly; he hadn't expected the scale of this undertaking to be so grand.

The Giant Bear Clan has existed for millions of years, and there have always been only seven sacred mountains. Now, an eighth one has risen from the ground, which means that the Lightning Bear Line is to be completely nailed to the core of the royal family, leaving no way out.

It is evident that the clan's upper echelons share a remarkably consistent set of ideas.

"Father, Shi Jian has just entered the Nascent Spirit Transformation. Are we really going to promote him like this? Aren't we afraid that the other sects will resent us?"

"Resentment? Who dares?"

"This was personally approved by the Ancestor Egu. Moreover, behind this lies not only our clan's scheme, but also the will of the entire Beast Realm."

He looked up at the vast sea of clouds outside the hall, his gaze slightly somber.

"The grand scheme of the Beast Realm is about to change."

"The Dao of Lightning is unclaimed, Shi Jian is a good piece. As for the Earth Dao..."

Shan Wanling didn't continue, only waving his hand, "Go back to Divine Firmament Plain and tell that kid Shi Jian to make proper preparations."

"The ceremony will be quite a spectacle."

Seeing this, Shan Li dared not ask any further questions and bowed as he withdrew.

Meanwhile, in the heart of the Beast Realm, tens of millions of miles away...

At the edge of heaven and earth, ten colossal peaks rise abruptly from the ground, piercing the nine heavens.

The mountain was as black as iron, and the surrounding void was crushed by the boundless power of the Dao, turning into a chaotic torrent; if an ordinary Spirit Transformation were to approach this place within a million miles, they would probably be crushed to the point of having their soul and spirit scattered.

This place is the supreme core of the Beast Realm.

At the summit of each of the ten colossal peaks, a blurry figure resides; nine illusory Dao Venerable, and one supreme being.

The power of the entire Beast Realm rests in the hands of these ten beings.

On the most majestic peak in the center, a figure sat cross-legged like an ancient Gods and Devils; surrounded by three vast, earthen-yellow rivers, each containing countless star realms.

Peak and Mountain Dao Embryo.

The supreme being who holds the three highest positions in the Earth Dao is as long-lived as the heavens, immortal and Indestructibility; he is the ruler of the Earth Dao in the world.

"There's movement from the Dao Realm."

The majestic and powerful Daoist voice echoed among the ten peaks, devoid of any emotion, yet it shook the surrounding turbulent currents to the point of disintegration.

On the left-hand giant peak, the Dao Venerable E Gu's white robe fluttered in the wind, a glint of light flashing in his vertical pupils, as he grinned and said:

"But that old bastard Li Yuan, he can't hold on any longer?"

Five hundred years.

"The Treasured Earth Dao Venerable of the Li Yuan Giant Beast Clan is showing signs of depletion of his essence; at most, he will pass away in five hundred years."

Upon hearing this, the Daoist aura on the other nine peaks rippled slightly.

Five hundred years.

For most beings, it is Cang Hai, but for these Dao Venerable, it is merely the time it takes to take a nap.

A Dao Venerable is about to perish, which will vacate his position.

The vacancy of a position is enough to unleash a bloodbath throughout the Nine Realms.

"The Treasured Earth Dao Fruit..."

The Earth Virtue Dao Venerable sat atop a giant peak, his body surging with earth-yellow Daoist energy. "Emperor, do you wish to attain this fourth fruition?"

The five major positions of the Earth Dao are: Return to Earth, Treasured Earth, Earth Virtue, Xuan Tu, and Gen Earth.

The Peak and Mountain Imperial Clan already occupies three of them.

If one obtains Treasured Earth, the authority of the Peak and Mountain Dao Embryo will advance further, and there is even hope of glimpsing the supreme realm.

"In the struggle for the ultimate truth, one must either advance or retreat."

"That old bastard Li Yuan used to run rampant in the Dao Realm, but now that his lifespan is coming to an end, he naturally has to guard against outsiders encroaching on his Great Dao."

However, he is now at his last gasp.

"In order to suppress the loss of our original essence, he no longer has the strength to purge the outsiders from the Great Dao River. This is our clan's opportunity."

Peak and Mountain Dao Embryo, and a phantom river of the Great Dao manifested in the center of the ten peaks.

In the long river, the section representing the [Treasured Earth] position was dim in light, faintly revealing a sense of Decay.

"Pass down the order."

Peak and Mountain Dao Embryo's gaze swept calmly over the nine Dao Venerable.

"All races of the Beast Realm, and all those Earth Dao, shall, from this very day forward, comprehend the six types of Immortal Foundation beneath the Treasured Earth Dao Fruit."

"[Fertile and Moist Governance], [High Ramparts and Peace], [Earth Nurtures Spirit], [Mountain Returns Qi], [Vast and Broad Earth], [Ten-Thousand-Layered Edge]"

"These six types of Immortal Foundation are the foundations for Treasured Earth Dao Fruit."

"Li Yuan's origins are now decaying, and his control over the Great Dao has plummeted to its lowest point; as long as enough people comprehend the existence of these six Immortal Foundation, they can continuously divert their influence, accelerating Li Yuan's decline."

The giant ape, transformed from the Ultimate Dao of Strength Venerable, perched atop the peak. Upon hearing this, it bared its fangs and let out a series of wild laughs:

"We will obey the Emperor's words!"

"Let those brats devour his Great Dao Origin, like ants swarming an elephant."

"If he were to kill me, it would hasten the depletion of my origin and my death; if he doesn't act, the origin of the Great Dao will be gradually emptied out by my Beast Realm."

"When he passes away, the Treasured Earth Dao Fruit will belong to my Beast Realm!"

That's exactly right.

The Conjoined Fire Dao Venerable's body surged with raging flames, transforming into a gigantic phantom of Kui Lang. "Even if Li Yuan knew about this blatant theft of the Great Dao's power, he could only watch helplessly."

"Damn it, that old bastard is so suffocating!"

The Black Eagle that Heavenly Wind Dao Venerable had transformed into spread its wings and said coldly, "Your Majesty, rest assured, although our clan cultivates the Dao of Wind, we also have subordinate Earth Dao minor clans. We will send them all away to study it."

The giant tiger, transformed from the Sha Qi Dao Venerable, licked its fangs. "I've seen plenty of killing and robbing, but this kind of deal—biting into Dao Venerable's very essence—is quite satisfying!"

The Dao Venerable E Gu stroked his chin, a calculating glint in his vertical pupils.

"My Giant Bear Clan, the Mountain Bear Lineage, cultivates the Earth Dao; naturally, my clan will not shirk the task of sharing the spoils of the Great Dao."

E Gu was even more calculating in his heart; this was a real benefit.

For those Nascent Soul and Spirit Transformation juniors, comprehending the origin of the Dao Venerable is an immense fortuitous opportunity; other races may also make their own plans.

"It's not just Earth Dao."

Peak and Mountain Dao Embryo turned its gaze to Profound Lightning Dao Venerable, a colossal beast whose entire body was wreathed in jet-black lightning, its aura extremely violent.

"Lightning Beast, your lifespan is also nearing its end."

Profound Lightning Dao Venerable remained silent for a few breaths, then slowly lowered his head. "Your Majesty is wise. This subordinate can only hold on for three thousand years at most."

"The Divine Firmament Fruit position is vacant; you should also make plans for your Profound Thunder Fruit position as soon as possible. Our Beast Realm cannot be without a Thunder Dao Venerable."

"It's time to send out the Dao of Lightning of all races to gain experience."

The Dao Venerable E Gu's heart stirred slightly, and the image of that pale giant bear appeared in his mind; Thirty years to Spirit Transformation, Purple Pivot Lightning Immortal Foundation.

"That kid Shi Jian has caught a lucky break," the Dao Venerable E Gu Dao of Darkness.

"Go and do it."

Peak and Mountain Dao Embryo closed his eyes, and the three earthen-yellow rivers disappeared back into the void.

The nine Dao Venerable bowed in unison.

"Here."

Divine Firmament Plain, Divine Firmament Peak.

Divine Firmament Peak has undergone a great transformation. A magnificent stone palace has been built on its summit, adorned with countless pieces of Dao of Lightning Spirit Metal.

From a distance, it looks like a dazzling Baoshan, standing atop the peak.

Shi Jian sat cross-legged in the stone hall, all the purple-gold lightning arcs around his body had been completely drawn back into his body; thunder roared continuously around him!

Suddenly, the purple lightning token at his waist trembled slightly.

Shi Jian opened his eyes, raised his hand, and the token fell into his palm. He probed with his Divine Sense, and Shan Li's voice came out.

"My lord, a message has arrived from the ancestral temple."

"The eighth sacred mountain is under construction, and the clan will hold a grand ceremony for your ascension to Spirit Transformation; my husband, please prepare quickly and come to the ancestral temple."

Shi Jian's expression remained unchanged; he simply placed the token casually on the table.

"Holy Mountain..."

He smirked slightly. "There's no such thing as a free lunch; the higher you're praised, the more ruthless the people I'll have to kill."

He stood up and strode out of the stone hall.

Outside the palace, the entire 300,000-mile-long territory of Divine Firmament Plain was spread out before one's eyes; countless Demon Cultivator traversed the spiritual mountains, their Dao of Lightning aura rising like mist.

Shi Jian looked up, gazing into the depths of the sky, a cold glint flashing in his purple-gold vertical pupils.

The words spoken by the Dao Venerable E Gu when he tempered his bloodline that day still echoed in his ears.

"The Divine Firmament Dao Fruit is currently vacant. If you can comprehend all six types of Immortal Foundation, you will be qualified to compete for that position."

"The struggle for power has always been a bloody and brutal affair."

Shi Jian snorted coldly.

"Cultivation is inherently a path of great contention! It requires contention, and even more so, it requires winning!"

"If you can't win, you'll die. What's there to regret!"

He put one hand behind his back, and a flash of purple-gold lightning appeared in his palm; he had already begun to condense his second Immortal Foundation, [Purple Firmament Lightning].