The Cyan Nether Palace had shut its doors, ignoring worldly affairs.

The entire Three Realms had turned into chaos, with the Divine Court collapsing and the Celestial Realm embroiled in war.

The Taoist Master of the Central State raised an army to crusade in all directions.

The Purple Mansion, Sumeru, and Three Great Sage Continents detached from the Divine State, each establishing their own dominion.

Other Immortals, Buddhas, Demons, Monsters, and Great Powers took advantage of this chaos, rampaging to seize benefits for themselves.

Chaos reigned both above and below.

...

Lu Chengfeng paid no heed to these external affairs, instead retreating underwater with Luo Suyi to focus on deep cultivation.

His profound foundation was unfathomable, and he had ample resources for cultivation. With the Cyan Nether Palace as a refuge from the outside turmoil, he naturally avoided involvement in external conflicts.

He did not need to stir up trouble outside; by cultivating quietly, he could refine Great Tao Divine Techniques and, given his prior foundation, break through to become a top-tier power in the Three Realms, not weaker than a Divine Venerate level.

Being able to cultivate peacefully and grow without engaging in life-and-death battles was preferable.

After breaking through, and refining the innate Cyan Nether Sword, he could even challenge Divine Venerate, Taoist Master, and Celestial Venerate.

Time flowed steadily as Lu Chengfeng immersed himself in cultivation, entering an extremely long retreat.

In the third year of his retreat, he faintly sensed the aura of the Ultimate Buddha Treasure, the Three-Life Golden Lotus, but it vanished in an instant.

The Three-Life Golden Lotus formed the foundation of his current physical body and was a crucial part of his combat power system, and it could not fall into the hands of others.

After the Zizai Celestial Demon fell, this treasure was supposed to belong to the Empress, but with her disappearance, the treasure's whereabouts also became unknown.

The appearance of the Three-Life Golden Lotus momentarily distracted Lu Chengfeng from his retreat, but he did not exit and instead continued his deep cultivation.

In the tenth year of his retreat, Red Dog returned, bringing back a large batch of Treasure Medicine and resources, along with news from the outside world.

"It's said that the Thunder Sound Universal Transformation Celestial Venerate was severely injured during the war in the Celestial Realm and then disappeared; some even say he has fallen."

"Celestial Patrol Divine Venerate and Earth Mother Dragon Venerate joined forces to repel the Ancient River Divine Venerate, seizing Shenxiao Palace and part of the Celestial Realm's fragments, then completely sealing the Celestial Realm and disappearing."

Red Dog rested for only three months after returning. After Lu Chengfeng used the Power of Time to purify his Dharma Form, Red Dog left Cyan Nether Palace again. Practicing the Path of Devouring the Sun required a vast amount of resources, and achieving the final step could not be done behind closed doors.

Lu Chengfeng still did not prevent him from leaving. Although he was in retreat, he needed someone to monitor the external situation to avoid becoming deaf and blind.

A hundred years later, Red Dog returned once again, bringing back more news.

"The Ancient River Divine Venerate subdued the White Tiger Divine Venerate, consolidating the Divine Court Eight Divisions, attacking the Cyan Nether Heaven."

"Plague Department Divine Venerate fled into the Netherworld…"

"The Ancient River Divine Venerate occupied Cyan Nether, Biluo, and Star Constellation Heavens, using Supreme Divine Techniques to shift heaven and earth, establishing the Divine Realm, proclaiming himself as Divine King."

"The Taoist Master of Central State launched an army, sweeping across the four cardinal continents, where the Four Divine Venerates submitted to him as the Central Yellow Heaven Emperor, establishing the Yellow Heaven Divine Dynasty to suppress the Human Realm."

Without a doubt, as time continued to pass, the situation in the Three Realms began to clarify.

Celestial Patrol Divine Venerate and Earth Mother Dragon Venerate secured Shenxiao Palace in a corner, while the three Celestial Venerates of Purple Mansion, Sumeru, and Creation remained aloof from worldly matters.

The Ancient River Divine King led the Divine Realm competing against the Central Yellow Heaven Emperor.

In addition, there were some ancient figures with the combat power of a Divine Venerate dominating various regions, such as the Plague Department Divine Venerate and Nether Department Divine Venerate.

The situation in the Three Realms, compared to a hundred years ago, was undergoing earth-shattering changes; heroes were carving up territories, waging endless wars, and the previous era of peace was gone forever.

...

Lu Chengfeng had been in retreat for one hundred and thirty years, with Red Dog returning once every decade or so; however, this time, upon returning, his cultivation had reached the absolute peak, ready to begin his breakthrough.

"This time I've returned, I don't plan to leave again," Red Dog said. After a century of slaughter in the chaotic external situation, his murderous aura was terrifyingly intense, almost forming a blood glow, leaving countless beings slain.

"I've been cultivating the Path of Devouring the Sun, which requires the Power of Time to cleanse and compensate for my Great Tao deficiencies."

"This time, I need your assistance for my breakthrough."

He did not stand on ceremony with Lu Chengfeng; due to the connection with the Cyan Nether Celestial Venerate, he had long considered the other as one of his own. Over the years of battling outside, all the resources and information obtained were sent back to Cyan Nether Palace unconditionally.

After more than a century of companionship, their friendship and trust compared to before were unmatched.

"Of course."

Lu Chengfeng readily agreed.

Once everything was ready, Red Dog began his closed-door breakthrough.

The Fighting Dharma Form he cultivated was his true form.

The Great Tao merged with the physical body and Divine Soul, similar in ingenuity to the path the Empress followed.

This Path of Devouring the Sun was originally deduced by Cyan Nether from his own Great Tao and the Empress's path, forming a mysterious road.

It could devour endless flames and time, continuously tempering the body until the body and Dharma Form became one. The more flames and power of time devoured, the stronger the physical form and Dharma Form would become.

One day, should he devour the Great Sun above in a single gulp, he might even directly ascend beyond the Celestial Venerable Realm.

Red Dog manifested his true form, then activated his Cultivation Technique, and the devouring immediately emitted a ghostly light. When he opened his mouth, revealing ferocious fangs, it seemed as if an abyss lay within, consuming everything.

All surrounding light disappeared, swallowed entirely by the abyss in his mouth. Sunlight, moonlight, and starlight falling from the Nine Heavens were rapidly consumed at an extremely frightening speed.