The actions of the Evil Dao Sovereign were utterly revolting.
Although Xuanhuang City's ascension was being blessed simultaneously by Heaven's Will, the Grand Dao, and the Eternal Green (Azure) Lotus, if someone attempted to interrupt the process, they would certainly be struck by backlash—not only from the Dao itself and the Eternal Green Lotus, but also by the rejection of heaven and earth, by all laws of existence, even suffering invisible curses.
The Evil Dao Sovereign dared to do this because his foundation lay in the Eternal Night World—he was one of its Great Demons. He, too, had backing. Rumor had it that the Abyssal Demon Mother was at that very moment clashing with the Eternal Green Lotus on some mysterious battlefield.
As long as he could obstruct Great Yi's ascension, even at the cost of enduring backlash, it was worth it. Eliminating such a vast hidden threat for Eternal Night outweighed any risk.
When he launched his first strike, the Evil Dao Sovereign's heart had been pounding. Against a being like the Eternal Green Lotus, a single glance could erase him from existence. But the results left him satisfied.
He could be certain now—the Eternal Green Lotus was definitely entangled with the Abyssal Demon Mother, unable to intervene here. Even if she tried, she would be blocked. That meant he could act without restraint.
Yi Tianxing had realized this as well. This was a special era—the war between Eternal Night and the Eternal Realm had never truly ended; it continued ceaselessly.
"Guardians of the Zodiac, hear my command—form the Twelve Zodiac Great Formation! Confront the evil god Cthulhu!"
Yi Tianxing frowned slightly, then issued the order.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
At his words, twelve beams of divine light shot up from within Xuanhuang City, emerging from the locations of the Zodiac statues.
"The Zodiac Formation!!"
A colossal diagram, glowing with unique power, manifested in the skies above the battlefield—directly above Cthulhu.
"Dragon God Warrior Lin Feng—take your position!!"
With a voice and a flash of divine light, Lin Feng appeared clad in a Dragon God battle armor, stepping into his designated place on the formation. The instant he entered, part of the diagram lit up.
"Dog God Warrior Wu Er Gou—take your position!!"
"Tiger God Warrior Han Qinhu—take your position!!"
"Monkey God Warrior Wu Song—take your position!!"
"Rooster God Warrior Tang Bohu—take your position!!"
"Rabbit God Warrior Li Xunhuan—take your position!!"
"Horse God Warrior Sun Yang—take your position!!"
"Ox God Warrior Li Kui—take your position!!"
"Rat God Warrior Su Ying—take your position!!"
"Goat God Warrior Yi Shuo—take your position!!"
"Pig God Warrior Zhu Fengchun—take your position!!"
"Snake God Warrior Yuan Chongzhi—take your position!!"
As each Guardian took their place, the entire Zodiac Formation erupted in dazzling divine radiance.
These years had not been wasted. The Twelve Zodiac Warriors had cultivated above the innate spirit veins, within their Zodiac Palaces, breathing pure innate qi, receiving endless resources, and venturing repeatedly into the Nightmare World to temper themselves in combat. Their cultivation and experience had advanced without delay. Augmented by their Zodiac battle armors, their progress was astounding—each of them now a peerless genius.
Over decades, their strength had risen to unimaginable heights.All had naturally advanced into the Dao Platform Realm.
With their Zodiac armor, each one could rival those of the Dao Proving Realm.When united in the great Zodiac Formation, their combined might could contend even with the Hunyuan Realm. Moreover, the formation wielded the powers of the twelve hours and the cycle of the four seasons.
Boom!!
As soon as the Twelve took their places, their auras merged. In the divine light, a massive heavenly pillar materialized—towering to the heavens, rooted in the earth, radiating endless golden brilliance. Atop it coiled the Twelve Zodiac Beasts, around it flowed spring, summer, autumn, and winter, the ever-turning wheel of time.
It was the Dao of the Zodiac itself.
Once the formation was complete, the colossal Cthulhu was forcibly enveloped within. A formation of this caliber created its own inner world—an independent space, cutting Cthulhu off from the outside. The evil god vanished into the Zodiac world.
What battles raged inside, no one could tell.
But Yi Tianxing wasted no time.
The Zodiac Formation might not hold the Evil Dao Sovereign for long. The priority was to complete the metamorphosis of Xuanhuang City before he broke free.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The transformation had begun. As countless Wish Power Beads burned and fused into the city's structure, the entire city expanded—several times over, then dozens of times, swelling with every breath, visibly growing at terrifying speed.
New districts were being born. If before Xuanhuang City could house billions, now it could contain dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of times more.
"Look, Xuanhuang City is expanding again—it's becoming the Fifth Ring! This means more room for settlers—another chance for us to apply to move into the Immortal Capital!"
Across Great Yi's other immortal cities, countless citizens gazed at the expanding Xuanhuang City with blazing eyes.
When it was first a Royal City, the original districts formed the First Ring.
When it ascended to Imperial City, it expanded tenfold, birthing the Second Ring.
As the Holy City, another vast expansion formed the Third Ring.
Later, a further growth created the Fourth Ring.
Now, yet another unprecedented expansion was unfolding—the Fifth Ring.
This new district would house an astronomical number of people, selected from all of Great Yi's cities. To dwell in the Eternal Dynasty's capital was every citizen's dream—a matter of pride and prestige. Yet moving there required strict applications and reviews; not just anyone could qualify.
"It's the Fifth Ring already."
Yi Tianxing nodded to himself. This was expected; each ascension brought expansion.
"Ah, Fifth Ring—you've got one more than the Fourth Ring!"
At that moment, an odd song floated across the sky.
Yi Tianxing glanced at the Green Emperor, who was singing loudly with great enthusiasm. His mouth twitched. That mutt always had to insert itself into everything.
Still… singing the Song of the Fifth Ring now wasn't entirely inappropriate.
Shaking his head, Yi Tianxing ignored it and turned his focus back to the ongoing transformation.
The metamorphosis of Xuanhuang City was only just beginning.
The Palace Divine Tree, one of the city's core structures, immediately began to evolve. Vast streams of Creation Power flowed from its roots into the newly expanded city, knitting it all together like veins. As the city grew, its roots extended endlessly.
Countless Wish Power Beads—measured in billions—were consumed with every breath, merging into the city under the radiance of Creation, becoming its very substance. Eternal Units across the city ascended in kind.
The Palace Divine Tree itself surged in growth, infused with Eternal Power, sprouting new crowns. Entire new layers of Cloud Realms unfolded in the skies.
Already possessing thirty-three layers, in the blink of an eye, sixteen more were born—bringing the number to forty-nine Cloud Realms.
Each Cloud Realm expanded rapidly, its Eternal Units ascending toward the level of innate treasures. Though they could not be wielded as weapons, they greatly bolstered Great Yi's foundation.
This ascension of Xuanhuang City was on the scale of the Primordial Level.
The blessings of Heaven, the Dao, and especially the Eternal Green Lotus poured down like a torrent—power beyond imagination, filled with mysterious substances and eternal essence, fusing into the city.
Most crucial of all was the immeasurable stockpile of Wish Power Beads accumulated by Great Yi—now fueling the transformation without end.