In the year 1401 of the Dragon-Han Era, the Earth-Mother Origin World was struck by a vast calamity. Disaster stars appeared, traversing the heavens.
The Origin World is home to countless races—some dwell around the World Tree in the myriad heavens, others among its mountains and rivers. On this day, all races witnessed five-colored radiance streaking across the sky as the Five Calamity Ancient Gods led vast star-armies overhead.
Wherever their light passed, rivers and seas dried up, vegetation withered, crops failed, sky-fire rained down, wars erupted, bandits ran rampant, and corpses littered the land.
At night, some saw a lantern’s glow drifting through the darkness. Following its light, they glimpsed a strange youth aboard a paper soul-ferry boat, gathering wandering souls.
For a time, people across the Origin World saw this odd youth everywhere, as if he had countless incarnations. Rumor held he was a Netherworld envoy come to harvest souls.
The five-colored comet trails soared toward the Celestial River, growing ever distant from the continent. Yet the disasters they unleashed could not be dispelled in an instant—their poison lingered for more than a century before peace returned.
Upon the Celestial River, a Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin moved unhurriedly, drawn by six Heavenly Dragons across the water’s surface.
Heavenly Court still hung above the Origin World; on clear days, even mortal eyes could glimpse its lofty halls, though always hazy, as if suspended upside down in the sky.
If one cultivated the Divine Eye, one could even see the heavenly markets above, and the gods guarding the Southern Heavenly Gate.
Of course, by later generations, such sights became rare indeed.
“Ancestral Court?”
Quinn’s heart jolted. Suddenly, he recalled that Maker elder Shaw Chung had once said Loren Shaw left the Grand Void a million years ago to seek the Ancestral Court, journeyed there for a long time, and received three prophecies about the fate of the Creator race from its Ancestor-Spirits!
So, this means that Ancestor-Spirit Loren Shaw’s true purpose in coming here is the same as God-Queen Langwo’s—to seek the Ancestral Court!
He must have come from the Grand Void to the Origin World, found it wasn’t the Ancestral Court, and now intends to visit Heavenly Court to see if it is the Ancestral Court.
But as Quinn knew, neither the Origin World nor Heavenly Court, nor the Netherworld, Profound Capital, or the Four Extremity Heavens, is the Ancestral Court. The true Ancestral Court is sealed on the back side of all major worlds!
Loren’s quest is doomed—he will not find the Ancestral Court here!
Loren gazed out the window, eyes deep and distant. He was a brave young Creator, and though he knew this journey might be a one-way trip, he still stepped out of the Grand Void without hesitation.
“Have you found any of your clan?” Quinn asked.
Loren shook his head. “For a moment, I thought you were one of my clan. Then, for another moment, I thought God-Emperor Jadecrest might be. But I realized neither of you are.”
He managed a faint smile and explained, “My clan have a strange eye in the center of the brow. You have one too, but after careful observation, I know you’re not one of us. I also sensed some of my clan’s blood in God-Emperor Jadecrest, but he’s not one either. Maybe there’s a true clansman in Heavenly Court—if so, maybe I can find the Ancestral Court through him.”
Quinn considered, then said, “If there is a Creator in Heavenly Court, he’ll be your enemy.”
Loren’s body trembled slightly, just about to ask what he meant, when suddenly five-colored radiance swept into view. The Celestial River shook violently; nearly every boat was flung away by the hurricane unleashed by the comet trails!
A handful of boats remained, but the demigods aboard screamed in agony as they aged visibly, their hair whitening and skin wrinkling in seconds, becoming frail old men and women!
“Earth Star Lord, you’re flaunting your Dao so brazenly, you’re ruining the flavor!”
A voice rang out overhead. The five-colored comet streaks descended with a whoosh, landing just ahead of the Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin—about ten miles distant. One after another, terrifying ancient gods arrived, leading vast armies of gods and demons behind them.
The leader, a red-haired, serpent-bodied ancient god, reached out and grabbed the remaining boats, laughing, “Wood Star Lord, you’re the skilled one—make them more appetizing.”
Another god, bird-headed and bird-footed, shot beams of light from his eyes. The decrepit demigods on the boats seemed to rewind through time, rapidly regaining youth—old women became young maidens, old men handsome youths.
“Now they taste just right!”
The red-haired serpent-bodied god burst out laughing, inhaled the demigods from the boats in one gulp, then turned to the now-stopped Heavenly Dragon Imperial Palanquin, sneering, “Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, you’ve been exposed! Come out and die!”
Loren’s face changed dramatically, tense and fearful.
Quinn glanced at him. “They’re just hairy gods, Loren. No need to be so nervous.”
Loren’s voice was hoarse. “These five evil gods are nemeses to my race. I can’t let them see me, or they’ll recognize what I am.”
Up front, the six Heavenly Dragons trembled, staring in terror at the Five Luminary Star Lords. They whispered, “It’s over—the ancient gods are here. We’re all going to die!”
“Looks like the Five Luminary Star Lords!”
“I told you we should’ve stayed in the Everpeace Empire, helped that black-faced demon lord attack the Heavenly Feather World, but you wouldn’t listen. Now big brother’s probably thrashing that demon lord, and here we are—about to get killed!”
One dragon, simple-minded, said, “The Five Luminary Star Lords don’t look all that powerful. Not what I imagined ancient gods to be. I figured they’d all be burly guys like Tu Bo…”
“Maha! Maha!”
The other five dragons shouted angrily, “Shut up! Ancient gods from the primordial era are way stronger!”
Dragon-Qilin, furious, stood up and bellowed, “Maha!”
The six dragons quickly stopped whispering and grinned apologetically. “Brother Qilin’s right, we shouldn’t talk so much. If the sky collapses, a Heavenly Venerable will hold it up.”
Dragon-Qilin nodded slowly, quite satisfied, then turned to the palanquin. “Master, there are some insolent ancient gods blocking the road. Please decide what to do.”
Annie lifted the beaded curtain. Quinn lowered his head and stepped out, glanced ahead, and greeted them with a half-smile. “So it’s the Five Luminary Star Lords. Why are you blocking my way?”
He looked at the Five Star Lords, gaze settling on Earth Star Lord, and paused. In his memory, the Netherworld’s Earth Star Lord was a seductive serpent-bodied goddess—female in form, male in voice, her thick hair falling over her chest, both enchanting and strange.
But the Earth Star Lord before him was also serpent-bodied, but male—a long-haired man, chest bare, one hand clutching a white banner, the other a bright mirror, forked tongue flickering from his mouth.
“Could it be that the Netherworld’s Earth Star Lord is a god born after the primordial era?”
Quinn pondered, “So the original ancient god Earth Star Lord must have died, replaced by a later-born god, just like Great Sun Star Lord. Looks like the Five Luminary Star Lords will fall in some future war. I wonder who will kill them?”
Earth Star Lord was the leader of the Five, wielding the strongest power. He flicked his tail, swimming forward, tongue darting out to snatch a downstream boat. He swallowed it whole, laughing, “Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, you’ve angered God-Emperor Jadecrest, invaded his Divine Palace, slaughtered innocents. Jadecrest has memorialized Heavenly Court. Will you surrender, or shall we kill you ourselves?”
Quinn chuckled. “You Five are ancient gods with names and reputations, incarnations of the Dao. Why kill me based solely on Jadecrest’s word, without hearing my side? I’m a Heavenly Venerable, formally invested by the Heavenly Emperor! Where’s Jadecrest? Bring him out—I’ll confront him directly.”
Wood Star Lord flapped his wings, cackling, “Shepherd Heavenly Venerable, you really think you’re someone important? You struck Venerable Vast-Sky, the Heavenly Emperor’s son. The Emperor has long wanted you dead—Jadecrest’s complaint is just a convenient excuse!”
Inside the palanquin, Loren let out a muffled groan, heart pounding, nearly desperate to flee. “I thought Shepherd Heavenly Venerable’s enemies were just small fry—I could help him handle those. I never imagined even the Heavenly Emperor is out for his life! If I stay with him, I’m doomed! Even if he survives the Five Luminary Star Lords, he’ll be dead in Heavenly Court—and I’ll be buried with him!”
But now, hiding inside the palanquin, Loren dared not show his face. If the Five Luminary Star Lords saw his true identity, he’d be doomed.
He bitterly regretted hitching a ride with Quinn to save effort—who would’ve thought this wasn’t a shortcut, but a pirate ship!
Quinn laughed, “Five Luminaries, ever since the God-Making Method spread, your ancient-god era was over. Ducks sense spring water first—are you less perceptive than ducks? Remember Ben Oxley, the Gold-Crow General? He thrashed you plenty back then.”
The Five Luminary Star Lords flared with rage. Earth Star Lord, without another word, raised his mirror and shined it at Quinn. Quinn stood unmoved, smiling, “You wield death, but I have creation arts that evade it. Your Dao is useless against me.”
Fire Star Lord, bottle strapped to his back, uncorked it and unleashed a torrent of pestilence toward Quinn.
Quinn remained untouched, laughing, “My medicine Dao can kill the living and heal the dead—even plague is nothing to me.”
Fire Star Lord’s face fell.
Metal Star Lord banged his calamity drum, thunder rolling as misfortune descended to strip Quinn’s fortune.
Quinn stood firm, smiling, “You’re ancient gods—if you leave now, I’ll let you keep some dignity. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
Water Star Lord shook his trident, stirring the Celestial River, and roared, “Enough talk! Children, attack—seize this traitor!”
Whoosh—
Behind the Five Luminary Star Lords, countless offspring gods and demons surged forth, howling madly!
Quinn frowned, turning his palm to reveal the Sword Pill.
He flicked his finger—the Sword Pill split into two, then four, then eight. In an instant, the sky filled with spinning sword spheres!
Each Sword Pill spun, spraying sword-light like dragons, unleashing a torrential sword-rain that poured down on the Five Luminary armies!
The gods and demons leapt up, shouting battle cries as they charged into the sword-light—then, in an instant, all shouting ceased.
Countless corpses dyed the Celestial River crimson.
Up front, the simple-minded Heavenly Dragon broke the silence, “See? I told you they weren’t that strong, but you didn’t believe me! These Five Luminary Ancient Gods are definitely fakes. In my eyes, they’re nothing special! The six of us could beat one or two together!”
“Maha!” The five other dragons roared, telling him to shut up.