Indignation and grudges filled Ling Dong’s face as he repeated, “Nie Tian!”

As the sectmaster, Zhao Luofeng remained silent.

All of the other Heaven Palace Sect experts’ heads sagged, their faces grim.

Fan Kai let out a deep sigh. “We were wrong. We should have admitted to our failure and accepted the truth when Ning Yang failed his mission, and Nie Tian gathered all three fragmentary star marks.

“But we were too proud to do that back then.

“Now we know that there are certain things that we can’t possibly change. The fact that he had collected all three fragmentary star marks meant he had been acknowledged by the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace.

“Before, we wished to take those fragmentary star marks from him to turn the situation around.

“However, the fact that he made that palace surface in the forbidden region in the Realm of Split Void has proved us wrong.

“He’s the chosen one, and no one can change that.”

Upon hearing this, Ling Dong shouted, “But you’ve entered the Void domain, Martial Uncle!”

Fan Kai gave a bitter smile. “So what? The situation in the Domain of the Falling Stars changed years ago when he first displayed his remarkable talent. That expert from the Divine Flame Sect’s cultivation base is even higher than mine now. Even so, he did everything he could to establish a friendly relationship with Nie Tian, right?

“For Nie Tian, he killed the Flame God and toppled the Poison Sect and the Spirit God Sect.

“We can’t even contend against sects like the Divine Flame Sect. How can we go against the Ancient Fragmentary Star Palace’s will?”

Zhao Luofeng sighed. “Now he’s back. And instead of returning through the teleportation portal the Lei Clan has set up, he returned through that mysterious palace.”

Taken aback by that news, Fan Kai let out another sigh. “Times have changed. In fact, our sect’s time passed when Ning Yang lost those fragmentary star marks to Nie Tian.

“From now on, every sect and clan in the Domain of the Falling Stars will have to submit to him to gain a spot in this domain. Our sect is no exception.”

Zhao Luofeng pondered for a quite a while before saying, “But Martial Uncle, we asked to see him, but he didn’t even give us that opportunity.”

“I’ll go see him myself,” Fan Kai said.

…

In the Realm of Split Void.

An endless stream of air-transportation spiritual tools dashed towards the the palace that had risen from the depths of the earth and converged on the green bamboo forest by it.

Hua Mu, Zong Zheng, Dong Wangling, Qi Bailu...

Powerful figures that were known throughout the Domain of the Falling Stars gathered to the same location without communicating with each other after rushing to the Realm of Split Void.

Even Lei Tianqi from the Lei Clan rushed there from the Realm of Earth Sieve.

Dong Li and many other juniors also ended their cultivation and swarmed to this place from their respective realms upon receiving word of Nie Tian’s return.

Soon, powerful experts from almost every sect in the Domain of the Falling Stars were gathered outside the bamboo forest where Nie Donghai and other Nie Clan members lived and practiced cultivation.

In one of the bamboo pavilions in the heart of the forest, Nie Tian was smiling as he told Nie Donghai and Nie Qian about his breathtaking encounters in the forbidden region.

Nie Donghai listened in silence the whole time, not asking a single question. He only frowned out of concern every time the story came to a dangerous part.

Nie Qian, however, had endless questions.

The sounds of air-transportation spiritual tools whizzing by grew denser and denser. As Nie Donghai sensed the presence of more and more auras, he realized that a large number of important figures were now gathered right outside the bamboo forest.

“Many people are waiting for you outside,” Nie Donghai suddenly said in a low voice.

Nie Tian sighed said with an reluctant tone. “Aren’t those people fast? We haven’t finished catching up yet.”

“They seem to want to give you time to talk to us too, but it seems that they have important things to discuss with you,” Nie Donghai said with a calm expression. “The fact that they didn’t rush in here proves that they don’t want to interrupt you.

“We’ll have plenty of time to catch up later. You should go meet them now. Don’t make them wait too long.”

Nie Donghai had brought quite a few talented children of the Nie Clan to this bamboo forest. He was worried that the sudden appearance of the powerful experts would scare those unseasoned children.

Nie Tian nodded. “Alright, I’ll go meet them first.”

…

Outside the green bamboo forest.

Hua Mu, Zong Zheng, Dong Wangling, and the other experts were talking in low voices. Each and every one of them looked calm and composed, yet deep down, they were all quite nervous.

The most nervous of all was Lei Tianqi. His eyebrows knitted as he gazed unblinkingly at the bamboo forest.

Nie Tian had left through the Lei Clan’s teleportation portal to meet up with the Divine Flame Sect in that forbidden region. However, he had returned alone through the mysterious palace. This made him wonder what had happened.

Yue Yanxi and the others from the Divine Flame Sect hadn’t rushed back to the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries directly after leaving the hemispherical continent.

Instead, they had continued to explore more of that vast region with the Guan Clan and the Jian Clan, hoping to find more profound secrets.

Therefore, Lei Tianqi hadn’t received any word from them yet.

At this moment, he was eager to know whether Nie Tian had met up with them, and what had happened in that place.

“Hmm?!” The ends of Lei Tianqi’s eyebrows rose as he seemed to notice some anomaly.

Fan Kai, who looked old and feeble, arrived in the company of Zhao Luofeng and Ling Dong. Their golden chariot was speeding over from Ash City’s direction.

The golden chariot came to a stop outside the bamboo forest. Hua Mu, Zong Zheng, Qi Bailu, and the others all gasped upon seeing Fan Kai. “That man...”

The fact that the Heaven Palace Sect was able to dominate the Domain of the Falling Stars for almost a thousand years was, to a great extent, thanks to this old man.

He had been the first cultivator in the Domain of the Falling Stars to enter the late Soul realm.

Now that he showed up, many Soul realm experts sensed his aura, and realized that he had become the first cultivator throughout the Domain of the Falling Stars to enter the Void domain.

Even Hua Mu and the other Soul realm experts bowed respectfully, sensing his immense aura. “Senior Fan!”

Fan Kai got off the golden chariot and nodded at them, his expression as calm as ever.

Then, he looked at Lei Tianqi and said in a respectful manner, “Greetings, Brother Lei.”

Among everyone present, he and Lei Tianqi were the only ones at the Void domain.

Lei Tianqi’s expression flickered slightly as he nodded back respectfully and said, “It’s very admirable that you actually managed to break through into the Void domain in the Domain of the Falling Stars.”

He sounded truly impressed.

He had spent quite a long time in the Domain of the Falling Stars now. He was well-aware that the Domain of the Falling Stars lacked many of the necessary materials to forge inner domains. The fact that Fan Kai had collected the necessary materials to make the attempt was already very impressive.

Not to mention that he had actually made the breakthrough.

Even though the cultivation resources in the Domain of Heaven’s Boundaries were much richer than the Domain of the Falling Stars, the process of breaking through was always filled with danger. The success rate was quite low.

Just in the Lei Clan alone, three late Soul realm experts had gathered all of the necessary materials, but failed to make the breakthrough.

Therefore, in his eyes, the fact that Fan Kai was able to break through into the Void domain was by no means an easy thing.

He applauded such an achievement and respected such a person.