At this moment in the Absolute God Heaven, most people could not see what was happening inside the Great Beyond. Everyone waited anxiously, wondering who the final victor would be and who would return alive.

After a long time, cracks appeared in a corner of the sky, shattering like broken glass.

“They’re coming,” someone said with renewed spirit.

A massive hand tore through the void, and the True Martial Progenitor appeared first, with Xu Zimo following closely behind. The members of the True Martial Sacred Ground soared through the air behind them.

“That one, is that the True Martial Progenitor?”

Someone shouted.

“San Dao and World-Weary!”

“No way. They’re all alive?”

“Weren’t we told they died in the great battle back then? How are they completely unharmed now?”

“I need a moment… this is too much. If that’s the case, doesn’t it mean the Ten God-Clans lost?”

“They must have lost. Look, only the True Martial Sacred Ground has returned. The sky of the Absolute God Heaven is about to change.”

Some major forces and people with sharp instincts reacted immediately.

“Go! Bring gifts, hurry and pay respects to the True Martial Sacred Ground.”

“A new era is starting with them. If we stick with the True Martial Sacred Ground, even if we don’t get the meat, we’ll at least drink the soup.”

“Exactly! We need to arrive before everyone else.”

…

The entire Absolute God Heaven surged with excitement and chaos. If the Ten God-Clans had returned, nothing would change, the old order would continue. But with the True Martial Sacred Ground victorious, this moment became a massive opportunity for many powers.

Inside the sect, Sect Master Wang Hengzhi was completely stunned. The old, declining True Martial Sacred Ground had been so deserted that not even birds bothered to fly over. But today, countless forces famous across the whole Absolute God Heaven had arrived.

“The Palace Master of the Night Soul Palace has come to visit the True Martial Sacred Ground.”

“The Valley Master of Nether Valley humbly requests an audience. I hope I haven’t disturbed Sect Master Wang.”

“The sovereign of the Divine Dragon Dynasty comes bearing ten Dragon Pearls as a small token of respect.”

One prestigious faction after another gathered at the gates. Their enthusiasm made Wang Hengzhi feel embarrassed. Normally, with his status, these grand elders would never even glance at him.

“Sect Master Wang, it has been years, yet you are still as heroic as ever.”

“Indeed, the fact that the True Martial Sacred Ground has grown to this size under your leadership is remarkable. Sect Master Wang, we admire you greatly.”

Listening to the endless flattery, Wang Hengzhi could hardly process the shock. Regardless of their true motives, he arranged accommodations for them and instructed disciples to prepare a banquet. He couldn’t let people think the True Martial Sacred Ground lacked etiquette.

For a whole day, the attention of the entire Absolute God Heaven was fixed on the True Martial Sacred Ground.

…

On the way back to the sect, the True Martial Progenitor and Xu Zimo walked side by side through the sky.

The Progenitor smiled. “I never expected that the True Martial Sacred Ground of the Primordial Heartlands would produce such an outstanding junior.”

“You are far more worthy of respect,” Xu Zimo replied honestly.

The True Martial Progenitor was the strongest person he had ever met, a master of the Three Selves stage, a peak Infinite Dao cultivator, a truly supreme being.

“Actually, I know that you’re the Infernal Lord,” the True Martial Progenitor suddenly said.

Xu Zimo froze.

The Progenitor explained, “Don’t be surprised. Once, I discovered the final resting place of the previous Infernal Lord.”

“His resting place?” Xu Zimo asked in shock. “Did you meet him?”

“We even spoke,” the Progenitor said with a smile. “In a way, he and I are the same kind of people.”

“Those who can defy the heavens tend to share the same goal,” Xu Zimo replied.

“I’m not as great as he was.” The Progenitor shook his head. “It was during that encounter that I learned of your existence.”

Xu Zimo nodded. “It’s nothing special. I inherited the shade of the previous Infernal Lord. But I’m carving out my own path, one different from his.”

“I believe that,” the Progenitor said, smiling.

Whether it was the Infernal Archons, the Ten Forms of Demon, or the power left behind by the previous Infernal Lord, these were shadows of the past.

Xu Zimo, however, was not someone who would rely solely on inherited power. His greatest secret was the God World, an entire complete planet, a perfect world. It was an advantage no cultivator in history had ever possessed.

The Progenitor continued, “I sought you out to talk about the True Martial Sacred Ground.”

“What about it?” Xu Zimo asked.

“The Nine Heavens are connected, but they are also separated by spatial walls. Every time you travel to another heaven, you have to break through that wall. You’ve experienced that pain firsthand.”

Xu Zimo nodded. When he first arrived from another heaven, he was half dead, and he ended up collapsing near the True Martial Sacred Ground, where Xiao An’an found him.

“Above the Absolute God Heaven lies the Mirage Tides Heaven,” the Progenitor explained. “You’ve already entered five heavens. The four heavens above are the Mirage Tides Heaven, the Azure Mystic Heaven, the Grand Desolate Heaven, and the Calamity Immortal Heaven. These four are connected and have no spatial walls. People travel freely there. Some say those four heavens are the true core of the Nine Heavens.”

“The four heavens are connected?” Xu Zimo asked in surprise.

“The future of the True Martial Sacred Ground may depend on you,” the Progenitor said. “I hope you can bring it into those four heavens, into a broader world. Of course, I’m not trying to tie the True Martial Sacred Ground to your battles. I only want the sect to be your foothold. Do you understand?”

“I understand,” Xu Zimo replied. “I can roam freely in the four heavens and just return occasionally to check on the sect, to make sure it doesn’t get destroyed. But I have many enemies, aren’t you afraid the sect will be targeted because of me?”

“You have many enemies, yet aren’t you living just fine right now?” the Progenitor countered.

Xu Zimo laughed softly.

“If the sect really is destroyed, then so be it. Descendants will live their own destinies. I’ve poured countless efforts into the True Martial Sacred Ground,” the Progenitor sighed. “I just hope it prospers across the Nine Heavens. When the Grand Emperors of our Primordial Heartlands arrive, they will have a place to settle.”

Xu Zimo nodded slightly. He understood. The True Martial Progenitor had no selfish intentions. Standing at the peak of the world, he gained nothing from the fate of the sect. He simply wanted to leave something behind for future generations.

“I know you have your own path,” the Progenitor said. “I don’t want the sect to burden you. Just look after it once in a while.”