Having done that, Meng Hao looked at the lands below one more time, then made his way off. When the flower closed again, one of the ice mountains suddenly trembled and transformed into a giant. As the giant stared around in shock, a beam of light appeared off in the distance, which was none other than the Flamephoenix.

Both of them were completely astonished, and had no idea what had just occurred. Shortly before, they had been in despair, thinking that their home was doomed to be destroyed. But then, everything had been reversed. The mountains froze up again, and the flames raged hot and bright. There was even abundant spiritual energy present which hadn't been there before.

"What happened...?" asked the Flamephoenix. "Patriarch Icemountain, do you know?" However, a glance at Patriarch Icemountain's expression made it obvious that he had no idea either.

After a moment of silence, Patriarch Icemountain said, "How strange. Everything suddenly changed...."

Silence prevailed for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Then, the Flamephoenix hesitantly looked up into the sky.

"Do you think it might have been... him? Returned?"

"Impossible!" Patriarch Icemountain replied immediately, shaking his head. But then, he hesitated. With the flower closed, no one should have been able to enter the world to interfere with the lands of ice and fire. Even if they could enter, changing the situation was impossible.

Eventually, the Flamephoenix looked thoughtfully up at the sky one more time, and then turned and left.

The Icemountain Giant looked out at the lands and sighed. "Don't tell me it was really him...."

A few more days passed, and soon the day arrived which Meng Hao had mentioned to the Paragons from the Vast Expanse School. On that day, Planet Vast Expanse buzzed with activity. There was such a commotion that even the starry sky outside of the planet was affected.

Soon, figures appeared, flying up from Planet Vast Expanse. All of them were cultivators with extraordinary cultivation bases. Powerful ripples spread out into the starry sky as an 8-Essences Paragon flew out, leading a vast host of other cultivators off of the planet. It was none other than... the Ninth Sect!

They were gathering in preparation for Meng Hao's return!

Every Paragon, and all cultivators in the Dao Realm, Ancient Realm, and Immortal Realm appeared. There were countless numbers of them, stretching out in all directions.

They didn't fly out of their own power. Instead, they were organized in ranks on enormous, ancient trees which had been carved into semblances of ferocious beasts.

Further off in the distance were more figures. They weren't cultivators; they were other strange creatures and life forms.

These were various peoples from worlds that the Ninth Sect had subjugated over the years. Altogether, the forces of the Ninth Sect formed a huge army numbering over 10,000,000,000. They virtually blotted out the sky; there almost didn't seem to be an end to the army.

The pressure they radiated caused the mist in the starry sky to seethe and churn, almost as if it couldn't approach the cultivators. A vortex sprang up around the host, swirling around and making their aura even more shocking.

Soon, another host of cultivators flew out from Planet Vast Expanse. They were the powerful experts from the Eighth Sect. Although they couldn't match up to the Ninth Sect in terms of numbers, their power and glory shook the starry sky.

Next were the Seventh, Sixth, and Fifth Sects... all the way to the First Sect. Planet Vast Expanse was shaken in a way that it had never been throughout all history.

A few of the well-informed rogue cultivators knew a bit about what was going on, although they weren't sure of the details. However, most rogue cultivators had no idea what was happening, and gasped in shock and fear.

"Heavens! The nine great sects of the Vast Expanse School are all mobilizing off-planet! What's happening?"

"There must be a war! The Vast Expanse School is going to fight one of the other great powers!!"

"How could that be possible? There are always small wars being fought here and there in the starry sky, but the Vast Expanse School is huge. Besides, how could they go to war when their 9-Essences experts are all focused on trying to Transcend...?" It wasn't just the rogue cultivators who were shocked. All of the other worlds located in the Vast Expanse School's sphere of influence were equally astonished.

Of course, some people were able to make speculations based on tidbits of information which had leaked out in recent days.

"Did you hear? The entire Vast Expanse School is mobilizing. I heard they're all going to support their Ninth Paragon!"

"The Ninth Paragon comes from a world that the Immortal God Continent and the Devil Realm Continent destroyed. He wants revenge, and the Vast Expanse School is going to help him get it!"

"They're going to war with the Immortal God Continent and the Devil Realm Continent? How... how could this Ninth Paragon convince them to do such a thing?!"

Even as everyone reeled in shock, the 9-Essences Paragons appeared from the various sects. They flew out to the front of the huge army, where they settled down cross-legged to wait.

The Sect Leader was among their number, his expression grave and murderous as he sat there in front of the First Sect.

Jin Yunshan, Sha Jiudong, and Immortal Bai Wuchen were there as well, their energy shaking the starry sky around them.

Apparently, the entire Vast Expanse School had come out. It was a shocking event which rocked the entire starry sky of the Vast Expanse. As word spread near and far, gasps of shock could be heard everywhere.

Countless worlds chose to seal themselves shut. Innumerable vortexes went dark. No one wanted to participate in what was sure to be a brutal and savage conflict.

Time passed, and everyone waited in silence. Suddenly, a powerful roar filled the starry sky as an enormous basilisk lizard appeared. It was as large as an entire land mass, and before it even got close, an intense pressure weighed down, causing everyone to tremble. The Sect Leader's eyes snapped open, and he slowly rose to his feet.

Jin Yunshan and the others looked on with shining eyes and trembling hearts as they realized that standing on the head of the huge lizard... was Meng Hao.

The basilisk lizard filled them with intense dread, and as for the person standing on its head, it once again filled their hearts with the awesome sensation of Transcendence.

As the lizard approached, roaring sounds echoed out from behind it as an enormous termite appeared. Although it was smaller than the lizard, the aura it emanated was terrifying to the extreme.

After the termite was an enormous head, floating along with a vicious expression. It looked like the head of an old man, threatening without being angry, which emanated the fear-inspiring ripples of the peak of 9-Essences.

"Patriarch Godlizard!"

"The Holy Termite!!"

"And the Primordial Patriarch!!"

The Sect Leader and the others were completely shaken. They had heard of these three entities, and knew that they had reached the peak of 9-Essences long, long ago.

It was at this point that the 8-Essences Paragon from the Ninth Sect took a deep breath, then clasped hands and bowed deeply toward Meng Hao.

"Greetings, Demon Sovereign!"

The 10,000,000,000 Ninth Sect disciples behind him trembled inwardly. Immediately, they clasped hands and bowed, their voices forming a powerful sound wave that swept out in all directions.

"Greetings, Demon Sovereign!"

As the starry sky shook, the Sect Leader, Jin Yunshan, Sha Jiudong and Immortal Bai Wuchen, as well as all the other 9-Essences Paragons, all clasped hands and bowed deeply.

"Greetings, Demon Sovereign!" Then, all of the other disciples from all the other sects clasped hands and bowed low, their voices shaking Heaven and Earth.

The intensity of the sound echoing out caused a pulsing force of expulsion to rise up, which was the will of the starry sky reacting to what was happening.

Meng Hao looked out at the scene quietly. A moment passed, and soon silence reigned. Meng Hao suddenly flicked his sleeve, causing his cultivation base power to erupt out. Instantly, it surpassed the 9-Essences level, and radiated the fluctuations of the Daosource.

In the Daosource Realm, one became Essence, and replaced natural and magical laws. The pressure emanating from a single person could cause the minds of all living things to reel, and fill their hearts with shock.

Things weren't over yet though. After unleashing his cultivation base, Meng Hao sent his divine sense out like a hurricane that swept over the entire starry sky.

"Transcendence! That's... the aura of Transcendence!!"

"I can't believe the Ninth Paragon... actually Transcended!!"

"The legends say that there have only ever been three people who Transcended in the starry sky of the Vast Expanse. Patriarch Vast Expanse was one of them. But now, there's actually a fourth!!" Up to this point, only the 9-Essences cultivators had been aware of Meng Hao's Transcendence.Now that Meng Hao was making no effort to conceal the level of his cultivation base, however, the 7 and 8-Essences Paragons were all completely shocked.

The Dao Sovereigns, Dao Lords, and other Dao Realm experts were all staring with wide eyes.

The Ancient Realm cultivators' eyes shone with fervor, and they began to cry out at the tops of their lungs. Even the disciples who weren't from the Ninth Sect were all in a fervor.

Of course, the Ninth Sect was Meng Hao's sect, and they were completely shaken. The sounds of their cries shook Heaven and Earth, and the cultivators from the worlds which had been subjugated over the past centuries were completely won over.

"Demon Sovereign!"

"Demon Sovereign!!"

"Demon Sovereign!!!"

Countless cries and roars erupted, starting from the Ninth Sect and going all the way to the First Sect. Everyone, every being, every life form dropped to their knees to kowtow!

Even the 9-Essences Paragons did the same thing. The passions of the crowd surged. The termite and the huge head looked at him with expressions of deference and allegiance, and the old lizard trembled.

To everyone and everything present, Meng Hao was the ultimate figure of respect.

All Heaven and Earth existed for him!

He stood there, energy surging out into the starry sky, and after a long moment passed, he spoke, and his words were like magical law that rocked the Heavens.

"Many thanks, ladies and gentlemen. Now, I would like to ask for your assistance. Please join me... as I return to my home, the world sealed by the 33 Heavens, the Mountain and Sea Butterfly!"