In the celestial tapestry of the cosmos, amidst the myriad realms nurtured by the Ascendant Alliance, lay Tian Yun, a nation of cultivators elevated to the seventh tier. Among its peers, Tian Yun stood as a paragon of power, a testament to the will of its sovereign, the venerable Tian Yun Zi.

Tian Yun Zi, a name whispered with reverence, was a figure of unparalleled esteem. Even within the hallowed halls of the Ascendant Alliance, he held a seat of honor, a presence that deterred all but the most audacious from seeking conflict.

Nations of the seventh tier often commanded a retinue of sixth-tier subordinate worlds, augmenting their dominion, but Tian Yun charted its own course. Only five vassal stars orbited the celestial kingdom, each a sixth-tier realm christened with the names of destiny: Heaven, Earth, Humankind, Fate, and Fortune.

Grand teleportation arrays bridged the gulf between the five vassal stars and Tian Yun’s radiant heart, yet the toll in spirit stones was a barrier, dissuading all but the most affluent of cultivators from undertaking such voyages.

Beyond this quintet, a constellation of lesser celestial bodies dotted the void, each a secluded sanctuary for reclusive elders. Though linked by teleportation arrays, these pathways remained perpetually sealed, their slumbering masters undisturbed.

At Tian Yun’s easternmost reaches stood a colossal teleportation array, a nexus of arcane energy under the unwavering vigilance of the Tian Yun Sect. Among those sworn to its watch was Zhao Si, a Green Sect Fifth Rank disciple. After seven centuries of disciplined training, his cultivation had reached the mid-stage of Spirit Transformation. A surge of satisfaction coursed through him. To bear the mantle of the Tian Yun Sect on Tian Yun Star was to command respect, to be met with deference wherever he ventured.

Seated in meditative posture, Zhao Si opened his eyes and exhaled a long, steady breath.

“Three months more, and my vigil will end,” he murmured to himself. “I shall return to the sect, seclude myself for years, and strive for the late stage of Spirit Transformation. Then, I shall petition to journey beyond the stars, to acquire celestial jade, that Zhao Si might yet glimpse the dawn of Nascent Soul Transformation!”

A spark of aspiration ignited in his eyes. “Alas, fortune has not smiled upon me. Had I been blessed as my revered grandmasters, to be taken as a disciple by the founder himself, such matters would be but trivialities. From my youth, I have yearned to ascend to the pinnacle of Power Ascendant, to carve out a star-domain as my own, where I might reign supreme!”

A wry smile touched his lips, and he inhaled deeply, preparing to resume his meditative trance.

Then, a streak of purple light tore across the heavens, a comet hurtling towards them with a thunderous roar. In the blink of an eye, it closed the distance to within a thousand fathoms.

Zhao Si’s expression hardened, though he remained seated, scrutinizing the approaching figure. The teleportation array saw its share of travelers, and save for a few luminaries, even those of greater cultivation than himself were of little consequence. He was, after all, a disciple of the Tian Yun Sect!

As the first rays of dawn painted the sky, the comet-like figure slowed, allowing Zhao Si to discern their features.

A man with long hair, simply bound behind his head, garbed in flowing purple robes, stepped confidently through the air. In an instant, he stood ten fathoms before Zhao Si, his gaze piercing and cold.

Zhao Si’s eyes fixed upon the purple token at the man’s waist, emblazoned with a clear inscription: the number seven.

The sight sent a tremor through Zhao Si’s body. Without hesitation, he rose to his feet with a flourish, bowing low and declaring, “Zhao Si, a Fifth Rank Green Sect disciple, greets Seventh Master of the Violet Branch!”

His voice was steeped in respect, but his heart hammered against his ribs. He had not been privileged to witness the founder’s grand jubilee, but he had gleaned tales from those who had.

Of all the narratives, none were more persistent than those concerning Tian Yun Zi’s newest disciple, Violet Seventh—Wang Lin!

From the moment of his arrival, Wang Lin had turned the Violet Branch upside down, culminating in the ruthless slaying of his Second Brother, and then claiming the title of the Seventh Son of Tian Yun during the Founder’s Jubilee.

With a cultivation at the mid-stage of Nascent Soul, he had battled and vanquished the Violet Fourth, a cultivator at the late stage.

But that was not the heart of the legend. The true marvel was the intervention of Violet Sixth, a cultivator of Power Ascendant, whose sudden return had sparked a monumental clash.

Though Wang Lin had fallen in that battle, the entire Tian Yun Sect now saw him in a different light.

Three killer moves had become Wang Lin’s signature arts, the most awe-inspiring being the all-consuming demonic energy of the Sky Engulfing technique, adding an aura of unparalleled might to his person.

These tales, passed through countless mouths, had transformed Wang Lin in Zhao Si’s mind into a bloodthirsty demon, prone to fits of rage and indiscriminate slaughter at the slightest provocation!

“Activate the array. I go to Earth Star!” Wang Lin’s voice was devoid of emotion as he stepped past Zhao Si and entered the teleportation circle.

From above, he had observed the immense array, spanning nearly ten acres. Countless complex runes were etched upon its surface, radiating a potent energy that diffused into the heavens. From afar, the area appeared shrouded in a dense mist, obscuring the intricate details.

Across the surrounding lands, a network of ravines crisscrossed the ground, resembling the tributaries of a vast river system. Within these channels flowed an unseen power.

In Wang Lin’s eyes, the ten-acre array was no mere construct, but an ancient beast, throbbing with raw vitality.

Its complexity far surpassed any teleportation array he had ever encountered.

Zhao Si inhaled sharply, offering his consent as he hastened to the array’s control point. With practiced movements, he formed a hand seal and unleashed a stream of pure light, which plunged into the heart of the array.
As cerulean light flooded the activation glyph, the colossal传送阶 (Transfer Platform) groaned with a deafening roar. The sound escalated, building to a crescendo that shook the very heavens. Within a ten-mile radius, the intricate network of furrows etched into the earth pulsed with unseen energies, emanating an eerie, ethereal glow.

From the heavens above, a breathtaking sight unfolded. Countless points of phosphorescent light, like a constellation mirrored on earth, flickered into existence across the land. These points, woven together in a complex tapestry, revealed themselves to be components of a gargantuan rune, stretching a full ten miles in expanse. At its very heart, stood Wang Lin.

In the blink of an eye, the colossal rune erupted in a blinding surge of light. The ethereal radiance washed over the world, engulfing everything in its ghostly embrace.

Zhao Si, well-accustomed to this spectacle, closed his eyes the moment the activation sequence commenced. Silently, he counted to five, then opened them again.

The Transfer Platform was empty. The radiant light had receded, leaving behind only a scattering of faint, ghostly embers that drifted lazily to the ground, dissolving into the earthbound array.

With a sigh of envy, Zhao Si gazed at the vacant platform. “This Seventh Disciple of the Violet Sect,” he murmured, “I wonder what manner of business draws him to the Earth Star? No matter. My concern lies in cultivating my own power, striving to reach the late stages of Spirit Transformation!”

He shook his head, crossed his legs, and resumed his meditative breathing.

The Earth Star, one of five orbiting satellites surrounding the Heavenly Luck Star, presented a golden-hued visage from afar, encircled by shimmering, ethereal rings. In size, it closely resembled the Vermillion Bird Star.

Upon its surface lay the profound玄淵派 (Profound Abyss Sect), the sole and mighty “Sixth-Grade Cultivation Nation” of the Earth Star. The sect held dominion over the entire world, its ranks teeming with cultivators. Presiding over all was the ancient patriarch, 玄冥 (Xuan Ming), whose power transcended even the stage of Soul Severing.

Oceans were scarce on the Earth Star, leaving the vast majority of its surface as land. To the west of the Profound Abyss Sect, beyond a million *li* of wilderness, lay the fifth-grade cultivation nation,灵岳国 (Spirit Mountain Kingdom).

On this day, the area around the Profound Abyss Sect’s Transfer Platform had been meticulously cleared. For scores of *li* around, only disciples of the sect were permitted.

Standing patiently beside the platform was the young Sect Master of the玄淵派,许雲山 (Xu Yunshan), a jade-handled fan held loosely in his grasp. He tapped it lightly against his palm.

Three days prior, a trusted friend from the Heavenly Luck Sect had informed him of the impending arrival of a Violet Sect disciple, destined to serve as an envoy to the Spirit Mountain Kingdom.

Ordinarily, such a trivial affair would have garnered little attention from Xu Yunshan. But when he learned that the arriving envoy was the Seventh Disciple of the Violet Sect, Wang Lin, recently accepted by the Heavenly Luck Child, his interest was piqued.

As a powerful Sixth-Grade sect subordinate to the Heavenly Luck Star, the玄淵派 meticulously documented every disciple of the Heavenly Luck Child, studying their preferences and proclivities. Their focus, however, lay primarily with the seven holders of the coveted Heavenly Luck Child titles. This Wang Lin had largely been ignored until his notable appearance at the Heavenly Luck Child’s birthday celebration.

Now, with Wang Lin thrust into the limelight, the玄淵派 found themselves with a dearth of information regarding him. Recognizing his potential for greatness, they deemed it prudent to forge an alliance now, rather than risk indifference later. Thus, the scene before them unfolded.

Behind Xu Yunshan stood several venerable elders of the玄淵派, their hair as white as mountain snow. Each possessed considerable cultivation strength.

Time crept by until midday, the sun blazing overhead. Suddenly, a series of booming tremors emanated from the Transfer Platform.

The sounds instantly drew Xu Yunshan’s attention. He smiled, tucked his fan away, and focused his gaze upon the platform.

The rumbling intensified, building to a crescendo. From the ground, tendrils of ghostly light rose, weaving together to form a colossal, illusory rune that blanketed the heavens.

At the very heart of the rune, space itself twisted and buckled, and from the swirling vortex, a figure began to materialize.

He was clad in violet robes, and upon the violet emblem at his waist, the number “Seven” was etched!