Chapter 1963: These Years, You've Worked Hard

"Jian... Jian Hongxiao! This... how is this possible?"

At this moment, Jian Hongxiao's momentum was overwhelming, having clearly reached the peak of the True God realm, even stronger than before he suffered the backlash of the Heavenly Dao.

However, Jian Hao knew that for Jian Hongxiao to restore his strength, he would need a Six-Mark Star Essence Pill.

But in this Extreme Fortune Imperial Capital, where could one find a Six-Mark Star Essence Pill?

If it could be found, Jian Hongxiao wouldn't have holed up in the Extreme Light Imperial City for a hundred thousand years.

The question was, what was happening before his eyes?

In the Star Hall, many people recognized Jian Hongxiao.

They were all dumbfounded, unable to believe their eyes.

Was this peak True God realm powerhouse before them really Jian Hongxiao?

Back when that incident occurred, everyone thought Jian Hongxiao was finished.

Who would have thought that after a hundred thousand years, Jian Hongxiao would return to his peak, come back to the Star Hall, and become an elder of the Star Hall?

"No, even if he really had a Six-Mark Star Essence Pill, he couldn't return to his peak state! Unless the Six-Mark Star Essence Pill reached the divine grade!" Jian Hao suddenly recalled something and exclaimed in shock.

Hearing this, the crowd was even more astonished.

"The Six-Mark Star Essence Pill is a ninth-grade pill; even the superior grade is extremely rare. Divine grade... how is that possible?"

"Could it be that he really obtained a divine-grade Six-Mark Star Essence Pill?"

"Unexpected, truly unexpected, that Elder Hongxiao would one day return to the Star Hall!"

...

For a hundred thousand years, Jian Hongxiao had remained in a small imperial city.

His sudden return to his peak could only be explained by one thing: he had obtained a Six-Mark Star Essence Pill.

But the occurrence of such a thing was truly miraculous.

However, they did not know that Jian Sutao, standing beside the Myriad Phenomena Armillary Sphere, was even more shocked than they were.

Just yesterday, he had used the Myriad Phenomena Armillary Sphere to deduce that the Star Hall's elder was about to change.

And that person was indicated to be Jian Hongxiao.

But of course, he knew how Jian Hongxiao had recovered.

Five years!

In just five short years, Ye Yuan had actually refined the Six-Mark Star Essence Pill!

Was this... was this the possession of the Medicine Ancestor?

A six-star divine alchemist, and only a True God First Heaven six-star divine alchemist, had refined the Six-Mark Star Essence Pill in just five years?

Moreover, judging by Jian Hongxiao's current state, it seemed he had touched upon that bottleneck.

If that were the case, Jian Hongxiao could break through to the Heavenly Sovereign realm at any time!

The Heavenly Sovereign realm!

How many True God powerhouses had sought it their entire lives, yet could not break through to that realm.

But Jian Hongxiao had actually turned misfortune into fortune and touched upon that realm.

To achieve this, the pill Jian Hongxiao had taken was definitely not an ordinary Six-Mark Star Essence Pill.

What kind of existence was that kid?

It was only today that Jian Sutao seemed to realize he had underestimated Ye Yuan.

He had underestimated him too much!

This kid was definitely not ordinary imperial aura; no wonder even he dared not use aura observation on Ye Yuan.

Returning to the Star Hall, Jian Hongxiao was also filled with emotion.

When he failed in his heaven-defying fate-altering technique, he thought his life would end there.

So, he contentedly holed up in a small imperial city.

Until one day, he calculated that his fate had changed.

But the future was still so confusing, because he simply couldn't figure out what was going on.

Later, Ye Yuan appeared before him, and everything changed!

Today, he could finally stand here again.

"Your guilty subject, Hongxiao, has returned!" Jian Hongxiao bowed deeply toward the depths of the hall, his mind surging with emotion.

There was silence within. After a long while, a voice slowly said, "It's good that you're back. Return to your position."

"Yes!"

Jian Hongxiao acknowledged and walked toward the elders' seats.

Jian Hao stood there, neither able to leave nor stay, extremely embarrassed.

"Brother Jian Hao, you've worked hard all these years," Jian Hongxiao said, looking at Jian Hao with a smile.

Jian Hao's mouth twitched, his expression extremely sour, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

He had worked hard for a hundred thousand years, yet in the end, he still couldn't surpass Jian Hongxiao.

For these hundred thousand years, he had been nothing but a scapegoat.

Now that the rightful owner had returned, he was kicked aside.

He refused to accept it.

But there was nothing he could do.

In the Imperial Capital of Extreme Fortune, Jian Sutao's word was law, and no one dared to defy it.

In his view, even if Jian Hongxiao recovered his strength, so what?

He had once committed an unforgivable crime. Could it be forgiven just because a hundred thousand years had passed?

Who would seek justice for the fallen disciples of the Star Hall?

But Jian Sutao seemed to have no intention of explaining.

And so, the matter was settled.

He, Jian Hao, went back to being a guardian again.

How ironic!

"Congratulations on your return, Elder Hongxiao!" Jian Hao gritted his teeth, but finally yielded his position.

All the disciples of the Starry Hall watched this scene, not daring to breathe loudly.

Too awkward.

...

"I never dreamed that I would still have the chance to set foot in the Starry Hall in this lifetime! Ye Yuan, you have given me a new lease on life!" Jian Hongxiao looked at Ye Yuan, his emotions mixed.

He had deduced his fate, only vaguely sensing that it was tied to Ye Yuan, but he never expected to return to the Starry Hall.

And so soon!

The Six-Pattern Star Pill—he knew Ye Yuan should be able to refine it, but he never expected Ye Yuan to directly give him a Haoling Divine Pill!

When he saw the pill, his entire mind went blank.

After taking the pill, his soul nearly floated out of his body.

It was then that he not only advanced in strength but also gained a deeper insight into the Profound Spirit Chaos Art, touching the threshold of the Heavenly Sovereign realm!

They say to return a favor with a favor, but now Ye Yuan's repayment was almost too much for him to bear.

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "Brother Hongxiao, here you go again. Between us, do we need such formality?"

"Haha, I... I just couldn't help it! By the way, the Ancient God Battlefield will open in a little over a decade, and those children of destiny will soon gather at the Extreme Fortune Emperor Capital. Your fortune is strong, but in the Ancient God Battlefield, fortune is completely useless. I've heard that even Dao Ancestor-level experts have fallen there," Jian Hongxiao said.

Ye Yuan's expression changed, and he said in surprise, "Dao Ancestor-level experts? Aren't they immortal?"

Jian Hongxiao shook his head and said, "I don't know the specifics. How can beings of that level be fathomed by the likes of us? I only heard Feng Qi mention it by chance a long time ago."

Now, Ye Yuan had long known that this 'Feng Qi' was Jian Suta's daughter, and Jian Hongxiao was Jian Suta's son-in-law!

Back then, Jian Fengqi was destined for a great calamity and fell gravely ill.

Jian Hongxiao deeply loved Jian Fengqi, so he ignored his younger brother's objections and performed the art of defying fate.

But not only did he fail, he also triggered the Myriad Phenomena Armillary Sphere, which drained the life force of thirty-six attending disciples and his own younger brother, turning them into dried husks.

This matter had always been a pain in Jian Hongxiao's heart, so he never spoke of it to anyone.

Upon hearing this, Ye Yuan's heart was stirred into a tempestuous sea.