My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

In a single day, two shocking pieces of news spread throughout the Immortal Realm: Lei Xiao's death and the Fire Clan's offer for peace. No one knew where these rumors originated, but they caused an immediate stir across the Immortal Realm. Wherever there were cultivators, everyone discussed the battle that took place outside the Snow Clan's ruins. Once again, the Lanyan Royal School made a name for itself in the Immortal Realm, and this time with overwhelming force.

Imagine, which faction in the Immortal Realm could manage to slay the Thunder Clan's war god on the battlefield, scare away the Flame God of the Fire Clan, and force the Fire Clan to seek peace? In the past, such news would have been laughed off as a wild fantasy. But now, everyone believed it.

Witnesses at the Snow Clan's ruins had seen the thousand sets of thunder-armored corpses belonging to the Lei Xiao Guardian, each covered in blood, a grim testament to the ferocity of that battle.

"The Thunder Clan lost utterly! Their war god was beheaded on the battlefield, and their precious Divine Dawn Thunder Spear was lost too. I heard that the Thunder Clan's leader was so enraged by the news that he nearly went berserk and would have died if the Elder of the Highest Order hadn't intervened just in time."

"Even now, the Thunder Clan hasn't retaliated, seems they're afraid! Hahaha! Who would have thought the Thunder Clan would face such humiliation? This is amazing!"

In the past, the Thunder Clan's ways were domineering, making many enemies. These resentful cultivators, once too afraid to speak, were now joyfully mocking the Thunder Clan without restraint.

The Fire Clan wasn't faring much better. Although still powerful, many ordinary cultivators disliked them, but they voiced their opinions less loudly for fear of retaliation.

The Immortal Realm's seven great houses had long-standing grudges against one another, and this time, the Lanyan Royal School's strong rise allowed many ordinary cultivators to vent their frustrations. As a result, the Lanyan Royal School had quickly become a revered sanctuary in the eyes of the Immortal Realm's common cultivators. Suddenly, the number of independent cultivators flocking to the Snow Clan ruins increased tenfold.

However, the Lanyan Royal School had strict recruitment standards, so many found it difficult to enter its territory. Nonetheless, the school's rise was unstoppable. Leaders of various major powers sought to establish connections with Gu Lan, offering unprecedented terms of friendship. But upon arriving at the Snow Clan ruins, they were told that Gu Lan, the master of Lanyan Royal School, was in seclusion and would not meet any visitors.

Unbeknownst to these visitors, Gu Lan was, in fact, meeting two guests within a pavilion of the Royal School.

"So, both of you are from the Nine Heavens Alliance?" Gu Lan asked, looking at the head of God's Reign Sect and a mysterious Taoist beside him, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

Gu Lan wasn't surprised by the arrival of the God's Reign Sect's leader, but the mysterious Taoist did catch him off guard. This elder, with white hair and a black starry robe, radiated powerful star energy and an aura of fate, his cultivation at the peak of the mid-Main God Realm. He was none other than Elder Nightfall, an old acquaintance of Gu Lan, who had once escorted Chen Feng to the Immortal Realm.

"Mr. Gu, it's been a long time. Your cultivation progress is truly astounding!" Elder Nightfall greeted Gu Lan with a smile.

Now, he was vastly different from when they last met in the Earthly Realm. Not only was his cultivation much higher, but even his aura and appearance had undergone subtle changes. This was the nature of his cultivation method—once his three thousand incarnations returned, his cultivation would advance further.

"Elder Nightfall, your own progress has been quite remarkable!" Gu Lan replied, amused. "Who would have thought that back then in the Earthly Realm, what I saw of you was merely an incarnation, while your true self is actually the legendary Star Picking Pavilion master, the Star Lord? It seems your journey to the Earthly Realm wasn't just by chance, was it?"

Gu Lan laughed as he asked, for he now had a clearer understanding of past events. Elder Nightfall had paid a significant price to take Chen Feng away, likely because of a prophecy. And Chen Feng, as the protagonist, very well might be the Chosen One Elder Nightfall had calculated.

"It was both coincidence and not," Elder Nightfall replied cryptically. "The River of Fate shifts with endless cause and effect; I could only perceive one thread of it. But what remains most unclear to me is you, Mr. Gu. Someone like you, who stands outside the River of Fate, may very well be the greatest variable in this upcoming calamity."

Elder Nightfall neither confirmed nor denied the speculation. His journey to the Earthly Realm served both purpose and cultivation; the two were not mutually exclusive. If meeting Chen Feng was a pleasant surprise, encountering Gu Lan was an outright shock. Elder Nightfall, with his control over the power of the stars and his ability to peer into fate, couldn't fathom Gu Lan's destiny at all. Even the fates of those around Gu Lan shifted unpredictably, leaving Elder Nightfall baffled.

As one of the upper echelon of the Temple of Destiny—one of the twelve most special temples in the Immortal Realm—Elder Nightfall possessed abilities far beyond ordinary cultivators. He had spread his Star Picking Pavilion across the Six Realms in a short time, showing his power. That Gu Lan, someone he couldn't predict, had progressed in cultivation so quickly was something he now took very seriously.

"Mr. Gu, the Bright Clan is preparing to execute their angelic Worlds-Cleaning Plan. If successful, it will bring about the greatest crisis the Six Realms have ever faced. I foresaw a great calamity befalling the Six Realms years ago, and I believe this calamity centers on the Bright Clan."

"To counter this disaster, the God's Reign Sect leader, myself, and several other allies from the Six Realms have formed the Nine Heavens Alliance, with the goal of saving ourselves and the Six Realms..."

Elder Nightfall laid his cards on the table, revealing the alliance he and the God's Reign Sect leader were part of. He then invited Gu Lan to join, offering him a place among their ranks.

Gu Lan remained silent, waiting for Elder Nightfall to continue.

"Anyone who joins the Nine Heavens Alliance will have complete freedom, needing only to keep their identity secret and contribute at crucial moments to protect the Six Realms. As a Main God Realm powerhouse, and someone capable of slaying Lei Xiao in battle, your strength is likely unmatched within the alliance. If you join, I can personally guarantee you a position as one of the founding members."

Elder Nightfall offered his best terms, and Gu Lan finally smiled. "In that case, we shall be allies from now on!"

After hearing Elder Nightfall's introduction, Gu Lan recognized that the Nine Heavens Alliance had a presence across the Six Realms. Though they might not have the peak combat strength of the Immortal Realm's seven great houses, their intelligence capabilities were top-notch. Gu Lan knew he needed such support.