"What is this..." Henry Lin stared at the Crimson Demon Star Evan Chu had summoned, his whole body frozen with shock.
"What's wrong, Commander Lin?"
Seeing Henry Lin's expression, Evan Chu's heart tightened. What he saw in Henry's face wasn't surprise, or fear, or even awe—it was pure, bone-deep terror!
"Such terrifying Stellar Power! Even if this star isn't one of the Seventy-Two Earth Fiend Stars, it's almost on par! Kid, where did you get a star like this?"
"It's simple. I obtained it after reaching the ultimate realm in the Three Realms. Why, is there something wrong with this star?"
"No, there's nothing wrong... but this star is truly powerful! The aura it gives off isn't at its peak—because you haven't fully awakened it yet. But mark my words, once you reach the Saint Venerable Realm, even at the earliest stage, you could probably defeat me! If I'm not mistaken, this is an eternal meteor that never falls, and its origin must be extraordinary."
"In short, this star is dangerous. Evan, listen up: until you have absolute strength, never reveal it in front of outsiders—anyone outside the Frostbane Dynasty. Otherwise, you'll be courting death!"
A star on par with the Seventy-Two Earth Fiend level... Even I can't resist its allure!
Henry Lin's words sent a shock through Evan Chu's heart. He hadn't expected that a Crimson Demon Star, drawn down by the Spirit Lord, could be so powerful—almost equal to the legendary Seventy-Two Earth Fiend Stars! Only the strongest peak Holy Emperors of the top dynasties possess such stars!
"Alright, I understand. Until my cultivation is strong enough, I won't reveal this star's power. So, from now on..."
"Don't worry, I know what you're worried about. You're afraid that if you can't use this star's power, you'll have no trump cards in battle? Relax. You can keep cultivating with this star's Stellar Power, and once we're back in the dynasty, I'll help you fuse an ordinary meteor as cover. With a normal star as a decoy, you can keep training with this one in secret—no one will suspect a thing."
"Thank you, Commander Lin!"
As Evan Chu spoke, he couldn't help but think to himself: If just the Crimson Demon Star can shock Henry Lin this much, then what about the Blood-stained Demon Star that's no weaker? Or the Big Dipper Star Marks gifted by the First Calamity Star himself—just how terrifying are those?
Thinking about all this, Evan's heart surged with excitement. He knew that everything he had was thanks to his 'cheap master.' Without the Ninefold Sacred Emperor, he wouldn't have these monstrous foundations—he wouldn't have started out so far ahead of ordinary Saints like Black Haze the moment he stepped into the Star-River Dominion.
"Since I've accepted your kindness, I won't let your warnings go to waste! Three million years... I'll definitely reach the Sacred Emperor Realm!"
He swore the oath silently in his heart.
Meanwhile, Henry Lin stepped out onto the deck of the star-boat, his vigilance cranked up to maximum as he scanned the surroundings. The identity he'd once kept hidden was now front and center in his mind.
Even though his original mission to escort the Frostbane God-Venerable from the Three Realms had failed, it didn't matter. Now, with the Third Person emerging from the trial world, clearly even more gifted and powerful, Henry knew: If he could keep Evan Chu safe, the Frostbane Dynasty would one day surpass the upper-tier dynasties and become a true overlord!
Thinking this, Henry Lin couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. But what he couldn't foresee was that Evan Chu, for all his talent, was a magnet for trouble—and for the Frostbane Dynasty to rise to the top, they'd have to survive storms of blood and chaos first!
After drifting for three days and nights across the starry sky, the escort star-boat finally reached the Frostbane Dynasty's starfield.
Just as Henry Lin had said, this was a star brimming with immense power—a domain even broader and more vibrant than the Three Realms themselves. Cultivating Stellar Power here was twice as effective with half the effort!
The escort star-boat hovered above the starfield, and at the entrance, a line of thirty thousand elite soldiers awaited, each radiating a formidable aura—the weakest among them was already at the late peak Saint Realm.
"Welcome, everyone! You've arrived at the Frostbane Dynasty. From this moment on, your fates will change forever! Grow stronger, and you can have everything; stagnate, and you'll be cannon fodder. I hope you quickly adapt to the brutal competition here. Soldiers, listen up—form ranks and welcome the newcomers!"
A middle-aged man with a powerful aura stepped onto the star-boat in a flash of purple stellar light. He looked down at Evan Chu, Violet Thunder, Black Haze, and the others, his voice booming across the deck.
His entire presence was imposing and domineering—just one glance from him made Evan Chu's mind roar, almost shattering his focus.
"Don't stare at him! That's Lord Jun Yang, first among the Seven Thrones under the Holy Emperor—one of the top three peak powerhouses in the dynasty!"
Violet Thunder quickly reminded Evan Chu, snapping him back to his senses. At that moment, Lord Jun Yang glanced at Evan, his gaze filled with approval. Among these Saint Realm 'ants,' someone actually dared meet his eyes? Not bad—solid talent!
"Seven Thrones? What's so special about that?"
"I'll explain later. For now, we just follow orders. The Frostbane Dynasty is always expanding and fighting other dynasties, so they take military discipline extremely seriously."
"Alright, got it."
Only now did Evan Chu finally gain a new understanding of what 'dynasty' truly meant.
Back in the mortal, Immortal, and God Realms, every power Evan had encountered was sect-based. Sects had their own rules, sure, but compared to the iron discipline of a dynasty's army, they were worlds apart. A real army followed absolute orders—commands were law, obedience was duty, and every movement was uniform. There was no trace of that scattered 'martial world' chaos here.
Henry Lin laughed heartily, "Ha! The Jun Yang Throne sure knows how to make an entrance. Look, you've scared all these fresh recruits half to death." He soared up from the star-boat, meeting Lord Jun Yang's gaze in midair.
Lord Jun Yang grinned, "If I don't put a little fear in them now, they'll lose their nerve on the battlefield. The slaughter here is nothing like those petty skirmishes in Small Worlds. A little harshness now will do them good later."
Henry Lin chuckled, "True enough! But wasn't the Mad-Blade Throne Lord supposed to handle this round of recruit selection? Why are you here, and where are the others?"
Lord Jun Yang sighed, "Mad-Blade's luck is better than mine—he's gone into closed-door cultivation. Bloodfeather and Skywing are covering his line, so I had to swap shifts with him. This round's on me, unfortunately!"
Henry Lin's eyes lit up, "Wait, you mean Mad-Blade's touched the threshold of a new realm? That's fantastic! The Frostbane Dynasty can expand its territory again. As for luck, I'd say you're the lucky one here, wouldn't you?"
Lord Jun Yang snorted, "What are you getting at, old man Lin?"
Henry Lin clicked his tongue, "Tsk, I used to think you weren't that dense, but now I'm convinced! You've spent too long on the battlefield and forgotten my main mission this time. Trial world—ring any bells?"
Lord Jun Yang jolted awake at Henry Lin's words—the Third Person was among this group! Instinctively, he turned to look at Evan Chu. This time, Evan didn't shrink back; his eyes flashed blue and red—Moon–Sun Godpupils! That power clashed head-on with Lord Jun Yang's Saint Venerable aura.