After the clan folk offered their thanks, the aged priestess spoke, “You have sacrificed life and limb for the sacred clan, giving so much. This barren world struggles to repay such kindness. My clan has prepared a small token for you; please do not decline.”

As her words fell, Qing Eight Branches, Qing Nine Leaves, and Qing Flower stepped forward from the crowd.

Qing Eight Branches approached Wu Qu Ji, in his hand a wooden box of exquisite carving. Opening the box revealed two neat rows of fine needles, subtly radiating a green light—clearly no ordinary objects.

The priestess said, “These are Qing Wood Needles, naturally formed needles of wood. I have selected the finest and gathered two sets. I hope they prove helpful to you.”

Wu Qu Ji could not conceal his excitement. Receiving them, he declared, “They are perfectly suited! I like them very much.”

Qing Nine Leaves, carrying a short bow and a quiver brimming with arrows made of Divine Dragonwood, walked to Su Qi Yun.

The aged priestess smiled and remarked, “Seeing your fondness for them, I thought it fitting to gift you a set.”

Su Qi Yun’s face flushed red. Accepting them, she said, “I am deeply grateful for your generous thought, and feel quite ashamed.”

Jiang Wang also felt a pang of awkwardness.

It was clear the aged priestess knew of Su Qi Yun’s act of borrowing Qing Nine Leaves’ arrows.

His own share… must also be no secret.

Before, it hadn’t seemed a concern, as they still needed their assistance. After eliminating Yan Xiao, it was but a minor matter.

Yet, he wondered if these clan members before the altar, if they knew of their “pilfering,” would still regard them with such reverence.

This time, Qing Flower approached. In her hand, she held a sword sheath.

Its color was a deep azure, the surface displaying natural wood grain—low-key yet restrained. A closer look revealed an ancient and mysterious simplicity.

“Hollowed from the heartwood of the Divine Dragonwood, only then did this sheath take form,” the old woman’s gentle voice inquired, “I wonder if it is a fitting match?”

The heartwood of the Divine Dragonwood was the raw material for crafting Divine Dragon Incense.

The preciousness of Divine Dragon Incense needed no further elaboration.

The raw material used for this sword sheath, one could not fathom how much Divine Dragon Incense it could yield. Its value was beyond imagination.

Jiang Wang was indeed surprised.

The original sheath for Long Xiang Si had been acquired in South Yao City.

It had not been forged from the same furnace as Long Xiang Si itself.

Its material was naturally inferior to Long Xiang Si and certainly incomparable to this Divine Dragonwood sheath.

A sword sheath and a sword are interdependent: one nurtures, the other conceals; one speaks of hidden brilliance, the other of honed sharpness. Their relationship is crucial.

While the previous sheath was also a good one, it inevitably lacked some aesthetic harmony.

Jiang Wang immediately changed the sheath. He felt a sense of seamless integration, nothing felt out of place.

He expressed his gratitude, “You are too kind!”

Observing the spirited Jiang Wang, Qing Flower, before leaving the altar, spoke only one sentence.

“Thank you. Seven Trees is very grateful to you, and so am I.”

Jiang Wang was slightly astonished. He knew that the Saintess of Qing was rarely permitted to speak with others. Only the Dragon God and the priestess could communicate with her.

But before he could respond, Qing Flower turned and, like Qing Eight Branches and the others, departed from the altar.

The patterns on the altar lit up, light meandering across them.

Jiang Wang looked towards the high heavens, intending to observe some pattern, but this time, the Yu Heng Star remained unmoving.

Only the light upon the tree-altar solidified into a colossal throne of light, supporting the three of them as they slowly ascended into the sky.

The magnificent light throne enveloped them, making them appear as deities.

All the clan folk of the Sen Hai Holy Clan in the field bowed their heads, praying and offering blessings for them.

Jiang Wang, high in the sky, watched the people below shrink further and further.

The formerly bloodthirsty Sen Hai Holy Clan.

Now, observing them, he saw courage, innocence, kindness, a pure and good nature, and a deep sense of gratitude.

Before Guan Yan’s descent, who could have imagined the Sen Hai Holy Clan becoming what they were now?

This single act of enlightenment, compared to a thousand temples and ten thousand golden statues, held more of the Buddha-nature, revealed more of the spiritual light.

He should become a Buddha, Jiang Wang thought to himself.

Guan Yan’s true spirit, at this moment, wandered in what corner of this square world? Was he, perhaps, also watching their departure?

The light throne ascended higher and higher. Everything below became small.

Jiang Wang had never flown to such heights before. The dangerous astral winds and turbulence were all isolated by the light throne.

From this vantage point, looking at the Sen Hai Source Realm, he still saw only lush greenery, without end.

It truly was the “Sen Hai Source Realm.”

Thoughts, both relevant and irrelevant, swirled in his mind. But just then, he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

Cold, strange, resentful.

His hair stood on end instantly!

He actually heard it again—Yan Xiao’s cry!

Was it a resurrection, or a rebirth?

This thought had just begun to form.

The light throne flashed and then vanished.

Jiang Wang and the other two had already disappeared from this realm.

Water, flowing, without the slightest impediment, soothing every part of his body.

Peaceful, calm, as if he himself had become part of the water, flowing quietly.

No breathing, no need to breathe. No thinking, everything empty.

Most natural, most unrestrained.

Like… the beginning of life.

Jiang Wang felt a kind of warmth surround him, forgetting those disputes, those worries.

He was being “nurtured,” and currently experiencing the process of “nurture.”

Nourishing, growing.

In the most fragile state, experiencing the most magnificent moment.

And then, “ten months of gestation, one birth.”

Jiang Wang opened his eyes.

He had been born anew.

Before his eyes, seven stars occupied his vision.

The universe was vast, yet vaguely void. Seven stars hung high, their brilliance illuminating everything.

Looking inward, everything seemed unchanged, yet again, it had already changed.

Wu Qu Ji and Su Qi Yun appeared on either side in the void, facing the seven stars with him. Each person felt refreshed, their bodies and minds cleansed, as if reborn.

A realization dawned in Jiang Wang’s heart—this was the “reward” they had earned for exploring the Sen Hai Source Realm.

They had swum within the world origin of the Sen Hai Source Realm, and then been “spit” out.

This was a simple description of the process. But the truly fitting words to describe it should be that they were “nurtured” out by the world origin.

They did not belong to the Sen Hai Source Realm, but they received the most generous reward.

Their physical origins were blessed by the world origin of the Sen Hai Source Realm.

He just didn’t know if this bestowal was the Dragon God, or the will represented by the Yu Heng Star. Or were they originally one entity? Or…

Jiang Wang had some vague guesses, but he could never be certain.

As for the original will of the Sen Hai Source Realm, there was absolutely no need to consider it. Because if the Sen Hai Source Realm had an original will, or if the original will was autonomous, it would absolutely not allow them to “swim” within it.

This kind of bestowal, related to innate talent, was originally difficult to manifest. It would only be reflected in future cultivation.

But Jiang Wang could see with his inner vision that his massive Heaven and Earth Isolation Island was now shaded by green trees.

The original Heaven and Earth Isolation Island, to put it simply, was a huge block of stone suspended in the Five Mansions Sea.

Under Jiang Wang’s constant care and nurturing, it had only gradually shown some color.

However, the accumulated work of days and months was finally not as significant as this single reward at this moment: green trees providing shade.

Full of vitality.

This was reflected in his combat power.

A more stable Heaven and Earth Isolation Island meant that he could withdraw part of the Dao Yuan relying on the island, which meant Jiang Wang could fight more freely and mobilize a more abundant reserve of Dao Yuan.

In cultivation, he could explore the unknown fog for longer, and in battle, he could be more flamboyant and sustained.

Of course, the most important benefit lay in the future.

The journey to the Sen Hai Source Realm had temporarily concluded. In this place, almost like the void of the universe, the three stood side by side.

Jiang Wang looked at Su Qi Yun and Wu Qu Ji, his eyes filled with inquiry.

They were still within the process of the Seven Stars Tower secret realm.

Now, they had two choices.

Casually choose a star and proceed to the next round of exploration, or, leave with their existing harvest.