Starting with being handed over to the Imperial Concubine, building a family with a thousand-year hi

Because Tianyuan Star is located on the edge of the universe and has little strategic significance, the Gui Clan did not deploy high-level combat forces there. Instead, they deployed a large number of low-level minions to gradually erode this land and did not rush to launch a large-scale attack to completely occupy the entire continent.

At present, the major battlefields of the Star Sea are in a tense situation and under pressure on all fronts. In order to deal with the joint encirclement and suppression by all races in the universe, the Ghost Clan has to scatter and split its forces, and is simply unable to take care of every remote star in the wilderness.

"The arrival of two True God-level experts across realms to provide assistance is truly a tremendous opportunity for the billions of living beings on Tianyuan Star." Su Mu said solemnly, bowing respectfully. "On behalf of all living beings on this continent, I thank you both for your righteous assistance."

"It's just following my heart and upholding morality; there's no need for such formalities," Song Qingmei replied with a gentle smile and a light wave of her hand. Besides, this land was her grandfather's homeland, and she would never sit idly by and watch her homeland fall into ruin and be slaughtered by the Gui Clan.

Su Mu lowered his eyes to look at his newly transformed hands and slowly said, "I have just formed my Divine Form True Body, and my foundation is not yet fully stable. I need several days to refine and master this new peak power. I would appreciate it if you two could wait here for the time being. Once my cultivation is complete and the time is right, I will invite you to go to the Black Mist Battlefield together to wipe out the enemy."

"It's alright. You just need to focus on consolidating your cultivation. The two of us will stay in the capital for now and await your news." Song Qingmei readily agreed without the slightest hesitation.

After finalizing all the arrangements, the two did not linger in the palace. They rose into the air and vanished into thin air, returning to their room in the city's inn where they had previously stayed.

As soon as he closed the door, Tula immediately activated his soul barrier, layer upon layer of barriers enveloping the entire guest room, completely isolating it from all external divine sense probing and spying. His gentle expression vanished instantly, and his face became as cold and stern as ice.

"Is what you just said true? Do you really intend to recommend this person to join my Star Palace?" Tular's tone was cold and accusatory.

"If he is interested in joining the Star Palace, it's not impossible," Song Qingmei said calmly in return.

"This man is cunning, shrewd, and treacherous!" Tular's eyes blazed with anger, his tone growing increasingly sharp. "He has seized all the relics and opportunities accumulated by Senior Moen throughout his life, yet he vehemently denies it and refuses to return them. He is far from an honest person! Why should such a person be given the opportunity to enter the Star Palace and embark on a higher path of martial arts?"

"If it were you, having gone through a perilous and dangerous situation in a secret realm, risking your life to seize an unparalleled opportunity and treasure, would you willingly hand over everything you gained to the sect without keeping a single penny?" Song Qingmei asked calmly and unhurriedly.

"This isn't a matter of willingness!" Tula insisted, her tone firm. "Senior Moen's cultivation and numerous treasures mostly originated from his sect's nurturing and the God-King's rewards; they rightfully belong to the Star Palace! He only managed to obtain the relics by chance, and he should return them all—it's his duty!"

"There's no point in saying more." Song Qingmei interrupted his argument. "If he is truly willing to join the Star Palace and return to the sect with us in the future, the sect's higher-ups will judge this matter impartially, and the truth will be determined. It's not up to you and me to make private comments or overstep our authority."

Turael was still filled with resentment and unwillingness: "Even if he successfully joins the Star Palace, neither you nor I will gain any real benefit. On the contrary, you are both the recommender and a fellow human, and you will surely benefit from his influence in the future. Don't you have any selfish motives in your heart?"

These speculations instantly enraged Song Qingmei. Her brows furrowed, her face turning cold: "What are you trying to say? Are you accusing me of favoritism, of harboring personal motives?"

"Isn't that right?" Tula'er said bluntly, showing no intention of backing down. "Both of us are at the mid-stage of True God cultivation. Our combined strength is more than enough to overwhelm Su Mu at this moment. He has just broken through to the Divine Manifestation realm, and his divine spirit has not yet fully formed. This is the weakest window of opportunity in his life. If we both activate our trump cards and go all out, killing him and reclaiming Senior Moen's relics will be a piece of cake!"

"Tula'er, you've been far too reckless and impulsive." Song Qingmei's face turned icy as she rebuked him sharply. "Before we set off, I repeatedly warned you that the Ghost Clan is the common enemy of all races and the mastermind behind this battle. Local cultivators are definitely not our targets! Moreover, you and I hold our trump cards. How can we be so sure that this prodigy who rose against all odds from the desolate lands doesn't have any hidden deadly methods or hasn't revealed his peak potential? During the confrontation in the main hall just now, he remained calm and composed throughout. This confidence and composure are definitely not a deliberate pretense!"

For a moment, the atmosphere in the closed guest room was tense and stagnant. The two held their own opinions and refused to give in, neither able to persuade the other.

"Whether he has any trump cards or not, we'll find out soon enough!" Tula clenched his fists, unable to suppress the resentment and greed in his eyes. He still believed that Su Mu had embezzled public property and was guilty towards the Star Palace, and he could not let it go.

"If you insist on doing so, then go and test it yourself." Song Qingmei had no intention of arguing any further and waved her hand indifferently.

Her mind was clear and discerning; she had already seen through Tula'er's true intentions. The root of his insistence on testing Su Mu, and even his murderous intent, lay in his coveting of Moen's life's possessions. Both were from the Three-Eyed Clan, and Moen's many treasures were perfectly compatible with the Three-Eyed Clan's bloodline. If she could seize the opportunity to kill Su Mu, according to the Star Palace's rules, while ordinary relics would need to be handed over to the sect, Moen's most precious natal Dao Flame would inevitably fall into the hands of his kinsman, Tula'er. At that time, the Star Palace's higher-ups would certainly not utter a single harsh word about it.

She and Tular were only temporarily assigned to travel together and had no deep relationship. There was no need for her to risk her life to fulfill the other's selfish desires.

Her suggestion to recommend Su Mu to the Star Palace was indeed driven by some hidden considerations and personal motives.

Tianyuan Star is merely a desolate planet on the edge of the universe, lacking resources and with a shallow foundation. Yet, it has nurtured a prodigy like Su Mu, proving that his rise is not solely due to a single stroke of luck. His temperament, talent, and comprehension far surpass those of other cultivators at the same level, making him a truly unparalleled genius. If Su Mu fully matures and joins the ranks of the universe's top powerhouses, she, as the recommender, and the human race behind her, can leverage this momentum to rise as well, elevating humanity's influence, status, and foundation within the Star Palace.

"I don't need to test him now." Tular strode towards the guest room door, his tone cold and calculating. "Later, we will march together into the Black Mist Territory to wipe out the Ghost Clan. The battlefield is treacherous and unpredictable. At that time, I won't need to take action myself; he will most likely perish in the Black Mist and be buried at the hands of the Ghost Clan's leader."

Upon hearing this, Song Qingmei remained silent and did not respond in any further.

After Tulaer pushed open the door and left, she raised her hand to close the door, completely shutting out all outside noise and movement. Then she sat cross-legged on the bed, closed her eyes, concentrated on meditation, and conserved her energy to await the subsequent conquest of the black mist.

The deep darkness of night completely enveloped the entire imperial city, and the majestic palace returned to its tranquil silence. The extraordinary phenomena caused by the transformation of the divine form during the day had completely dissipated, and there was no trace of the overwhelming martial pressure remaining in the world.

Inside the second-floor sleeping quarters of the imperial library, Su Mu had already returned. He sat by the window, calmly adjusting his breathing, focusing on stabilizing his newly broken-through Divine Phase power and solidifying his foundation.

Xiao Yunshang nestled quietly beside him, a faint worry lingering in her eyes. She softly advised, "That Fellow Daoist Song seems gentle, humble, and well-mannered, but that black-skinned, three-eyed cultivator harbors deep hostility towards you. During the confrontation in the main hall just now, his murderous intent was evident in his eyes, but he suppressed his urge to attack only because he was wary of the Dark Gold Dao Fire within you. When you join forces to fight the Black Mist later, you must be extra vigilant and guard against this person's underhanded tactics and sneak attacks from behind."

"I know what I'm doing." Su Mu slowly raised his eyes, his gaze slightly cool, and said calmly, "He and Moen belong to the same lineage of the Three-Eyed Clan. I obtained Moen's life-long opportunity and relic, and then refused to hand it over to the Star Palace. It is only natural that he harbors resentment and hostility towards me."

He paused slightly, his tone becoming more serious and cautious: "I am not afraid of the combined power of Tulaer and Song Qingmei, but what I truly fear is the top-tier power behind them that dominates the starry sea and reigns supreme in the universe—the Star Palace. With my current cultivation level, I am far from being able to directly confront such a supreme lineage."

Xiao Yunshang looked up at him and said a straightforward and insightful opinion: "Since you can't fight them head-on, then join them. That Fellow Daoist Song clearly intends to recruit you into the Star Palace. If you agree, the Star Palace will be your strongest support in the future. You can roam the starry sea and stand firm in the universe without having to worry about powerful enemies from all sides."

"Let's wait and see for now, there's no rush." ​​Su Mu shook his head slightly, his mind resolute. "I'm naturally easygoing and dislike being bound by rules and regulations. As a top-tier sect in the Star Sea, the Star Palace has strict rules and clear hierarchies. Once you formally become its disciple, you must abide by the sect's precepts, obey orders, and fight and risk your life on various battlefields in the Star Sea. Any disobedience will result in severe punishment, and any carelessness will lead to your demise in a foreign land and the dissipation of your life."

Moen serves as a prime example of what should have happened.

As a genius of the Three-Eyed Clan, Moen was highly valued by the Star Palace God King and had an unparalleled backing, with a bright future ahead of him. However, he could not escape the sect's summons and was ordered to fight on the battlefield of the Ghost Clan. In the end, he fell on the battlefield, and even his remaining Dao Soul was completely annihilated and disappeared into the world.

Su Mu possesses the Peerless System, allowing him to break through bottlenecks and rapidly increase his cultivation without the need for powerful mentors or sect cultivation, rising against all odds. Joining the Star Palace may seem like having a towering mountain behind him and a smooth road ahead, but in reality, it brings constraints and a lack of control over his own destiny. He also has to face top-tier powerhouses within the Star Palace, such as gods and god-kings, who can crush him with a mere flick of their wrists. The dangers and risks far outweigh the opportunities and chances.

Staying on Tianyuan Star, guarding the Great Qian Empire, and quietly developing one's strength is the safest and best option at present.

The fact that he hadn't directly rejected Song Qingmei's offer was a way to leave himself a way out. If the situation worsened and he found himself in dire straits, joining the Star Palace wouldn't be an unacceptable option.

He had already read through Moen's complete memories and knew clearly that the Star Palace had an ancient ironclad rule: within the sect, it was strictly forbidden for the strong to bully the weak or take advantage of the weak, and it was absolutely forbidden for fellow disciples to fight, kill, or turn on each other in private. All Star Palace disciples had to swear a soul oath to abide by this ironclad rule, and even the Star Palace Master had no right to violate it privately.

As long as he behaves himself and abides by the sect's rules, he will not be targeted or attacked by the sect's powerful members without cause. What he is really worried about is that his extraordinary breakthrough speed is too shocking and could easily arouse the suspicion and fear of the Star Palace's higher-ups, leading to his being secretly suppressed and plotted against.

"That mysterious opportunity you've always relied on, can't it show itself and protect you?" Xiao Yunshang pursed her lips, finally asking the question that had been lurking in her heart for so long. She always knew that Su Mu possessed an ultimate trump card that no one knew about.

"No." Su Mu shook his head frankly, without hiding anything. "It will only silently provide me with opportunities, resources, and enhancements in the shadows. It will never directly appear to help me fight against external enemies or resolve conflicts. Only when Moen Dao Soul was in a life-or-death situation and tried to possess my original soul did it make an exception and protect the foundation of my soul."

Apart from this, the system never directly intervenes in any external conflicts or grudges.

"In that case, we can only take it one step at a time." Xiao Yunshang sighed softly and did not ask any further questions.

Su Mu raised his hand and gently embraced her slender waist, his voice tender and affectionate: "My wife, it's late, you should rest early."

"Um."