Cloud-Venerable and the others arrived outside the Grand Void Expanse and turned to look back. The Grand Void, once hidden in the void, had now been torn open by Supreme Emperor, revealing streaks of glowing light.
In Sky-River Court, inside Venerable Skysoar's residence, Quinn Shepherd laid out all the diagrams and closed his eyes.
Scenes of the Grand Void battle had already formed in his mind. Every step Cloud-Venerable took was vividly reflected in Quinn's thoughts, turning into a series of clear images.
From Supreme Emperor crushing the Grand Void realm constructed of divine sense, to using the collapse of god-sense to slaughter thousands of Creators, and then the Creator leaders luring him deep into their trap.
Then Venerable Skysoar deconstructed the Supreme Emperor Seal and Altar, Cloud-Venerable designed the trap's inner structure, and Venerable Skysoar laid out the Supreme Divine Sense Domain.
Although Quinn hadn't witnessed these events personally, the diagrams in Venerable Skysoar's residence allowed him to deduce the details of this deadly plot.
After a moment, Quinn opened his eyes, his gaze sharp. He said in a low voice, "Annie, Dragon-Qilin, let's go wait on the Celestial River outside Sky-River Court."
Annie asked curiously, "Wait for who? Is it Cloud-Venerable and the others?"
"No."
Quinn's eyes flashed with brilliance. "We're waiting for Grant!"
"If Supreme Emperor dies, Grant will surely come, bearing his grudge, to destroy Sky-River Court!"
Quinn said gravely, "In Western Emperor White Tiger's Western Extremity Heaven, I blocked Grant and kept him from harming the Western Emperor. With no reason to attack, he still demanded a favor from me, saying I owed him. His nature is vengeful—Cloud-Venerable killed his flesh, trapped his god-sense, so he will come for revenge!"
Annie and Dragon-Qilin were startled and quickly followed him outside Sky-River Court, where Dragon-Qilin hitched up the palanquin.
Quinn sat behind the beaded curtain of the treasure palanquin, steadied himself, took out the Sword Pill, and with a gentle swipe, the pill turned into a divine sword resting across his knees.
Six Heavenly Dragons pulled the palanquin, stopping above the Celestial River in front of Sky-River Court. Quinn sat with sword across his knees, closed his eyes, and quietly waited.
Cloud-Venerable was killing Supreme Emperor in the Grand Void; Quinn saw through every part of his strategy.
But Sky-River Court was not the Grand Void, so Quinn could not reproduce Cloud-Venerable's arrangements.
All he could rely on was Venerable Skysoar's method for breaking the Supreme Emperor Seal and Altar.
However, Grant was extremely powerful. Back in the Ancestral Court, his battle against the Heavenly Emperor's reincarnation had already revealed his terrifying strength.
Quinn knew his own strength was far inferior. Whether he could use Venerable Skysoar's method to counter Grant's Grand-Luo Supreme Divine Sense and Supreme Divine Sense Domain, he had no confidence.
The Celestial River flowed from west to east, surging across the heavens, mighty and ceaseless, day and night.
The Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin hovered outside Sky-River Court, unmoving above the rushing river below.
The sun set in the west, lanterns lit up at the palanquin's front, the moon sank, and the sun rose again from the Eastern Sea.
So passed several days and nights. During that time, a light rain fell—there was a drought in the Origin World, and some tribes sacrificed three pairs of boys and girls to the ancient god, Lord Rayne.
Lord Rayne devoured the children, then cast his projection to the Origin World to bring rain. Displeased by the scant offerings, he gave only a thin drizzle, then sent thunder to warn the people below: if they wanted more rain, they must sacrifice more children.
After Lord Rayne brought rain, Lord Drought arrived to wreak havoc, turning a thousand miles into scorched earth and baking the land dry.
Many god-hunters rushed to Sky-River Court, pleading for the gods to subdue Lord Drought. They hurried past the palanquin in their urgency.
Quinn remained motionless.
Annie grew anxious from waiting, craning her neck to look around. She saw Lord Thunder and Mother Lightning's shadows racing through the clouds, hurling thunderbolts and lightning as they pursued thieves who had stolen heavenly fire in Profound Capital.
Life in the Origin World went on as usual; ancient gods still dominated the stage. Of course, such scenes were rarely seen in later eras.
Annie was still looking around when suddenly a mournful, pleading voice echoed from afar, crying out loudly, "Grant—Grant!"
Annie's heart skipped a beat. Dragon-Qilin immediately stood up, and the six Heavenly Dragons suddenly felt weak, nearly collapsing onto the river's surface.
In the distance, a massive bird flapped its wings and flew toward them. Its blue-gold feathers blotted out the sky, like a vast dark cloud sweeping toward Sky-River Court.
The bird grew closer and larger, its wings spreading wide enough to cover all of Sky-River Court!
Suddenly, the palanquin's canopy soared upward, spinning in the sky. Its ribs rose higher and higher, merging with the heavens, transforming into the Forty-Nine Heavenly Principles that hung down and sealed Sky-River Court.
Quinn sat inside the carriage and said in a deep voice, "Grant, it's been a long time. Why not come over and meet?"
The blue-gold bird heard his voice. Its piercing gaze swept toward them, and a flood of god-sense surged forth, vast as a heavenly torrent, blanketing everything!
It was Grant's god-sense. He wasn't using his Supreme Divine Sense Domain—against a mere human Heavenly Venerable like Quinn, he didn't deem it worthy to use such a supreme technique.
Quinn remained still, hand on his sword, activating the Overlord Three-Core Art. His god-sense instantly formed a Grand-Luo Heaven, shielding the palanquin.
Their god-senses clashed, sending the Celestial River's waters surging in all directions. Only within a thousand-zhang radius around the palanquin did calm remain.
Centered on the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin, a giant sphere formed. Outside it, waves towered; inside, all was calm.
Quinn held his breath and focused. Though his cultivation realm was not high, his god-sense was formidable. Grant was not attacking with full force—just god-sense—and Quinn had the strength to block it!
As their god-senses collided, Quinn suddenly switched tactics, unleashing his Spirit Embryo Treasury Domain. The spirit embryo became Dao One, yin and yang formed taiji, then heaven and earth opened, followed by earth, water, wind, and fire.
Stars appeared, Heaven Duke, Tu Bo, and all the gods took their positions and roles, and then the Heaven Palaces rose up one by one.
His domain burst forth, forcibly shattering Grant's god-sense!
The surging waters of the Celestial River instantly calmed. The waves Grant's god-sense had whipped up, hundreds of zhang high, crashed down with a swish, leaving the river tranquil and undisturbed.
At the instant their divine arts collided, Grant flew toward Sky-River Court, reaching out to grab the canopy.
The canopy was a treasure refined in the Heavenly Court seventy thousand years later—a Heavenly Venerable's carriage. The palanquin itself was a rare artifact, composed of many treasures, its patterns depicting Heaven Duke, Tu Bo, and the Four Imperial Ancient Gods.
The ten Heavenly Venerables of the Heavenly Court had gifted this palanquin to Quinn to weaken his alliance with the ancient gods.
Quinn raised the canopy, transforming it into Heaven Duke. At the instant Grant struck, his Spirit Embryo Treasury Domain expanded with a swish, enveloping all of Sky-River Court.
Within his domain, the sky reflected Quinn's figure; Heaven Duke, bearing Quinn's face, rose and merged with the canopy's Heavenly Principle, forcefully blocking Grant's strike.
The blue bird's claws collided with the canopy, and the Heaven Duke beneath it struggled to hold, nearly shattering.
Inside Sky-River Court, tens of thousands of gods and postnatal race deities surged to respond, readying their armies to rush out and battle the blue bird. Quinn's divine sense thundered: "I am Shepherd Heavenly Venerable! All disciples, obey my command—activate the canopy and follow my direction!"
Tens of thousands of gods in Sky-River Court sent forth their primordial spirits, channeling their qi to empower the canopy.
Above, the canopy grew ever brighter, the Forty-Nine Heavenly Principles sealing Sky-River Court more tightly.
Grant struck again and again but failed to break through; suddenly, his blue feathers folded, and in a flash, he appeared directly before Quinn!
"Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, must you block me?" Grant demanded coldly.