But Nine States is different from the Great Universe; it''s too "small." Each civilization that once claimed to be an overlord lives side by side, making it inevitable to distinguish winners and losers. Therefore, conflicts have never ceased.

    In the long passage of time, many once-dominant forces have declined, but some have remained evergreen throughout the ages.

    To this day, the largest overlord forces in Nine States are rarely comprised of a single civilization or ethnic group, but more often a collection of several civilizations.

    For instance, the Beast Sea is the Holy Land of the Void Giant Beasts.

    Their Nine Palaces is essentially a union of hundreds of civilizations, with Nine Palaces at the helm, similar to an academy system.

    There are also neutral forces like the Heavenly Arena.

    Not to mention the God Hunting Company, which was initially formed by various civilizations opposing the Heavenly God Clan.

    At first glance, the Heavenly God Clan appears to be a single civilization, but in reality, they have many vassal ethnic groups.

    Named after the Heavenly Gods, they are one of the most powerful races over countless eras. Although their members are rare and their heritage difficult to continue, every one of them has Divine Blood flowing in their veins, possesses Divine nature from birth, and their potential is unlimited. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Senior, did you contact us this time because the descendant of Senior He has appeared?"

    Qian Chong''s eyes were sharp as he asked. Since becoming a disciple of his master, he had heard of certain events from the past, and before coming here, he received his master''s repeated reminders.

    If nothing goes wrong, the one summoning them must be someone from Senior He''s homeland!

    [Correct, you should stay here for now. Once he comes to Nine States again, you will take him back to the Great Red Sky Palace, prepare for the Ancient Road, and his goal will be to challenge the rankings of the Ten Thousand Ancient Stele.]

    Qian Chong felt a great relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

    The situation in Nine States seems stable as ever, but from the view of top forces like the Great Red Sky Palace—

    The erosion of the boundary regions.

    The decay of the starry sky.

    The invasion of the Nether Sea''s black mist.

    The random occurrences of incessant mutterings in sleep.

    Everything is deteriorating.

    This former Pure Land is heading toward decline.

    They must return to the Great Universe to secure a sliver of hope in this life.

    However, beings born in Nine States cannot enter and exit any plane world at will like those from the Great Universe.

    From birth, they are branded with a certain mark. While enjoying certain conveniences, they also lose their "freedom."

    To return to the Great Universe, there are only two paths.

    One is to rely on rifts opened by the Nether Sea to kill their way back, but this route is only suitable for Supreme beings.

    The other way is to create some sort of "transit point" with assistance from the Great Universe side. As long as they can live there for more than ten years, they can wash away their brand.

    But the second method means living at the mercy of others, with all initiative in the hands of those providing aid. If they destroy the transit point, the beings will be met with the punishment of the universe''s Heaven and Earth rules.

    Thus, they must find a trustworthy party to form an alliance with.

    ...

    ...

    Inside Yang Yan Martial Arts Hall.

    "That''s the situation." Ji Jingqiu''s gaze involuntarily drifted towards the banner beside him.

    The banner they saw last time upon returning had been replaced yet again.

    This time it read [Congratulations to Ji on reaching the summit of White Jade City, seizing the top spot of Ten Thousand Year True Seed!!!]

    Zhang Xingshan and Luo Xi looked dazed, as if lost in the Void.

    The two entered Yang Yan Martial Arts Hall at the same time as Ji Jingqiu.

    In less than a year, he had completed a glorious transformation from a seriously ill young man from an ordinary family to a highly sought-after new star in Martial Arts of the Federation.

    Now, unprecedentedly, he has become the... Star Lord? of the East Three Bright Star as a True Seed Realm individual.

    Is that even reasonable?

    Yang Yao stroked his beard, his eyes showing a weathered light. So quickly has he become "my Star Lord junior brother," huh?

    "Jingqiu, are you planning to transform this planet into your dojo?" Yang Yan asked.

    "Yes." Ji Jingqiu added, "This planet is very important. Next, we need to undertake a major overhaul of some areas in Taian City, and we''ll need everyone''s help with this."

    "Will the money come from the Dragon Tiger Dojo?" Yang Yao asked tentatively, thinking how much will a city area overhaul cost?

    Ji Jingqiu shook his head: "As for money, Beicang Commerce Alliance will foot the major bill, the government will also provide subsidies, and additionally, there will be sponsorships from certain other forces."

    "Beicang Commerce Alliance?"

    Everyone exchanged glances.

    "Since when did you get on such good terms with the Beicang Commerce Alliance?" Yang Yao was astonished. A city area overhaul wasn''t a small amount.

    "On the contrary, they had previously conspired with foreign forces to kill me, but in the end, I turned the tables and annihilated them. Now it''s time to settle scores after the autumn," Ji Jingqiu briefly mentioned.

    "The dojo will send professionals to be in charge of the overall progress. As for the official side, I will need the help of the Zhang and Luo families," Ji Jingqiu said, looking towards Zhang Xingshan and Luo Xi.

    Both hurriedly nodded, their expressions excited, well aware of what this meant.

    Before this, the Zhang Family and the Luo family could only be considered as having some influence in Taian City, but after those words, it was as if they had soared to the skies!

    Ji Jingqiu briefly explained the overall situation and everyone''s involvement.

    The overhaul mainly involved the lower district.

    First was the relocation of the people, which wasn''t difficult. There are a substantial number of undocumented inhabitants in the lower district who would leap at the chance to leave there for a legal identity.

    Then came the selection of a site to establish the Divine Temple.

    Apart from the Guardian God Temple, another temple must be built for the Four Directions God, this part being purely funded by the Federation.

    After that, according to Qingyang Ancestor, Dragon Tiger Dojo plans to establish a branch on the East Three Bright Star and transfer at least half of its power here.