Inside the Lord's Hall of Starhaven City, including Joe Di, there were a total of one hundred and fourteen people present.
Joe Di sat in the Lord's seat, with Moria Lane like his shadow at his side—wherever Joe Di went, she followed.
Unlike before, lately she often furrowed her brow, as if pondering something deeply. Yet each time she seemed close to remembering, she would return to a state of confusion.
Except for Moria Lane, everyone—including Joe Di—had eyes brimming with excitement and irrepressible joy. Previously, aside from Quinn Tong who had some inkling, no one could have imagined Starhaven City would become the place they had always dreamed of.
Though everyone was thrilled, no one spoke; all waited for Joe Di to address them.
Whether immortal or not, each person now understood that simply finding a peaceful place to live as one wished was the greatest happiness.
Joe Di calmed his own excitement and spoke, "First, I must congratulate the sixty-three Daoists of Starhaven City who have simultaneously ascended to True Immortal, with not a single loss. For those who have not yet sensed the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation, I believe that as long as you remain in Starhaven City, in time, everyone here will become a True Immortal."
The chances of falling during the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation were actually quite low, and every cultivator who came to Starhaven City had formidable foundations. This time, the success rate was one hundred percent. Even Quinn Tong, who had long since reached the True Immortal realm, sensed the tribulation again and completed it anew.
Everyone knew that the reason they could draw the True Immortal Thunder Tribulation was all thanks to Joe Di's abilities. Each person wanted to stand and thank him, but as this was an Immortal City, certain rules had to be observed. Moreover, all the cultivators present understood that Joe Di placed great importance on the laws of the Immortal Realm.
"Next, I will announce the rules and regulations soon to be established in Starhaven City."
Hearing Joe Di begin to discuss regulations, the crowd fell even more silent. Before arriving in Starhaven City, everyone knew that its Lord, Joe Di, placed great emphasis on the law. If they hadn't cared much before, now their regard for the law was no less than Joe Di's own.
Violating the law would mean expulsion from Starhaven City—who would dare take it lightly?
Joe Di nodded, concerned that some cultivators might believe that, as immortals, they could seek unrestrained freedom. If the Immortal Realm were still as it was before, it wouldn't matter—be a rogue cultivator if you wish. As long as you didn't touch the interests of powerful immortals, no one would care.
Yet throughout history, few rogue cultivators ever achieved great success. Those who did were almost always from major sects or prominent families—or at the very least, had a good master.
But now, things were different. Starhaven City had just been founded, and the fortune of the Immortal Realm was only beginning to coalesce. Here, cultivators who wished to act without restraint would not be tolerated.
Joe Di raised a City Charter Memory Stone and declared loudly, "Everyone has received one of these City Charter Memory Stones, and you have all read the laws. Now, I will repeat them again. In Starhaven City, to live and cultivate, first you must abide by every law inscribed here—otherwise, you will be dealt with according to the law. Second, every cultivator in Starhaven City possesses an Identity Token. This Identity Token is your pass to enter and leave Starhaven City; without it, you cannot enter and are not considered a resident of Starhaven City."
Joe Di had explained these two points before; no one objected.
Joe Di continued, "Third, whether living or trading in Starhaven City, you must pay a certain tax. These funds are for the city's development and to support cultivators who serve Starhaven City. Fourth, Starhaven City will introduce Merit Points, which will be recorded on your Identity Token. Everyone present has participated in the city's construction and will receive one hundred thousand Merit Points..."
Most cultivators present did not care much about Merit Points. The ability to cultivate in Starhaven City was enough; Merit Points seemed almost irrelevant. In sects, they could be exchanged for goods—better than immortal crystals. But in this twilight era of the Immortal Realm, what could they be exchanged for?
"Fifth, if Starhaven City is attacked by outside forces, everyone present has the duty to defend it with all their strength. Sixth, anyone who knows the whereabouts of the Five Elements Array Flags may exchange that information for Merit Points. Seventh..."
After Joe Di finished listing more than ten regulations, he asked, "Does anyone have any objections?"
Ian Shaw was the first to stand. "Lord, I think these rules are all for the best. I, Ian Shaw, have no objections."
Why did the Immortal Realm fall into twilight before? Was it not because too many immortals acted selfishly and recklessly? Every immortal thought themselves the greatest; if challenged, they resorted to violence. And what was the result? The Immortal Realm fell, and corpses littered the land. That is why Ian Shaw believes the Immortal Realm must be as Joe Di says—only with rules can there be order.
Following Ian Shaw, everyone stood up to express their support—none objected.
"Good." Joe Di understood their feelings; settling in Starhaven City had not come easily, and unless faced with exceptional circumstances, no one would wish to destroy such a hard-won sanctuary.
"Next, I will appoint the city's officials. I myself will serve as Lord of Starhaven City. First Deputy Lord: Quinn Tong, responsible for all city affairs. Second Deputy Lord: Ian Shaw, responsible for city defense. Third Deputy Lord: Quentin Forde, in charge of the city guild. Yvonne Liu will be the city law officer, and Ben Taylor will be steward of the Lord's Hall..."
Though there were only a little over a hundred cultivators, Joe Di had essentially established the entire framework of the city. From now on, anyone wishing to enter the city would have to pass through the detection array.
As for the position of Lord, Joe Di was unwilling to hand it over—not out of fondness for power, but necessity. He would not trust anyone else to control the Grand Five Elements Array. He doubted anyone would do as he had, offering both the Earthflame Banner and the Sevenstar Purewater Banner as the array's foundation.
"Lord, I once thought I would never again sense the true atmosphere of the Immortal Realm. Today, in Starhaven City, I have felt it anew. It is Starhaven City that has given me hope for rebirth. As long as I, Ian Shaw, draw breath, I will never allow anyone to trample upon the beauty of Starhaven City." Ian Shaw once again stood up to support Joe Di.
Compared to the other cultivators, Ian Shaw felt a deeper connection to Starhaven City.
Only those who once possessed something can truly know the terror of losing it. The other cultivators had all come from the cultivation world, and upon arriving in the Immortal Realm, they faced only its twilight. Their longing for the true Immortal Realm was never as intense as Ian Shaw's.
Ian Shaw had survived and cultivated in the Immortal Realm all along. Now that what was lost had returned, he cherished it more than anyone.
After everyone had finished expressing their stance, Joe Di said, "I believe that in the future, land in Starhaven City will be extremely valuable. Since we built this city together, before the next group arrives, everyone has the right to choose a cave-dwelling residence—but only this once."
Starhaven City was built by everyone, and all knew that the cave-dwellings near the Celestial Bamboo River were the best. Since the Lord's Hall was beside the river, everyone naturally followed suit—almost all chose dwellings near the Celestial Bamboo River.
......
Countless millions of miles away from Starhaven City—
A middle-aged cultivator, clothed in rags with messy hair, stood beneath a colossal wall.
To call it a wall was an understatement; 'Heavenwall' would be more fitting. This wall slanted upward into the sky, its top and edges unreachable even by divine sense. Standing below it brought an overwhelming sense of oppression and dread.
The middle-aged cultivator tried to touch it, but before he could get close, a tremendous force pushed him back.
"Perhaps this is the Heavenwall that separates the Twilight Immortal Domain from the Newborn Immortal Domain. I never thought I, Sean Zell, would one day come here," the man muttered to himself.
He was none other than Sean Zell, who had entered the Immortal Realm together with Joe Di. Upon arrival, he realized he might have been too optimistic.
He had imagined the Immortal Realm as a place of beauty, filled with immortal aura and sects standing tall. He thought finding an immortal from the Eternal Night Continent would be easy—just a matter of travel time.
But in reality, what he saw was an endless battlefield of slaughter—no warmth, no vitality, no trace of humanity...
His cultivation was far too low—even those who refined the blood of cultivators found it pointless to target him. With his Late Fifth Transforming True Stage cultivation, he was of no benefit to them.
Sean Zell wandered the Immortal Realm, sending countless messages to Joe Di in hopes of finding him. But the Immortal Realm was vast; though he encountered a few cultivators, he could not learn anything about Joe Di's whereabouts.
Perhaps he would spend his life wandering the desolate Twilight Immortal Domain, until his lifespan ended and he collapsed in this ruined realm—discarded like the countless other bones.
"Sigh!" Sean Zell sighed. He had heard of the Newborn Immortal Domain, and knew that even if he were lucky enough to find the Heavenwall separating them, he still could not enter.
Just as Sean Zell was about to turn away, a corpse fell from the sky.
Bang! The corpse landed several dozen meters in front of Sean Zell, mangled and bloody.
Sean Zell retreated a few steps and looked up at the boundless Heavenwall, bewildered.
Bang, bang, bang! More and more corpses began to fall, forcing Sean Zell to retreat hundreds of meters.
Soon, the corpses covered the spot where Sean Zell had been standing. He murmured, "Newborn Immortal Domain... heh..."
Even though he had never entered the Newborn Immortal Domain, he could guess what was happening there—likely the same as what had occurred long ago in the Twilight Immortal Domain.
That ever-present slaughter was perhaps now repeating itself in the Newborn Immortal Domain.
(That's all for today's update. Good night, friends!)