Within the turbulent spatial currents.
An immortal ark was traveling in reverse along the ascension passage.
"Damn it, what's going on? How many years has it been since anyone used this ascension passage?" Inside the immortal ark, a blue-eyed octopus demon was struggling to maintain the vessel's course. A journey that should have taken one month now required at least three!
"The master's mission can't be completed quickly now." The octopus water demon was frustrated. He glanced at the red-haired fire demon inside the ark: "Aren't you going to help me?"
"Why the rush?" The red-haired fire demon said calmly, "It's just a mortal world! Their strongest cultivators were only at the Nascent Soul stage before. We're both at the Great Ascension Realm - what could possibly go wrong?"
The blue-eyed octopus demon sighed: "You don't understand. In the mortal world, we'll have to endure the Immortal Ascension Tribulation. Who knows how long we'll be stuck there? By the time we return..."
"Ha! You still think we're returning?" The red-haired fire demon smirked, flipping his palm to release dense demonic energy. "We're demonic cultivators now! After destroying the Tianyuan Realm, we won't be returning to the immortal realm immediately. We might even need to reincarnate!"
The fire demon had already seen through their fate: "The master has long wanted to destroy Tianyuan Realm, though I don't know what he's been hesitating about. Now we're disguised as demonic cultivators to do the job. Even if we succeed... hah."
The octopus demon's expression changed. Both demons fell silent.
Finally, the octopus demon spoke: "My clan has produced a promising successor. With the master's resources, our clan's rise is certain. In the future... perhaps I can return too."
"Give it up. Think about how to survive in the underworld instead!" The fire demon said nonchalantly.
The immortal ark continued its bumpy journey through the ascension passage.
Three months later.
They reached the end of the passage.
As they approached Tianyuan Realm, the immortal ark suddenly disintegrated as if completing its mission. Both demons jumped out in alarm.
Erecting defensive barriers, they broke through the final layer of spatial turbulence and entered the mortal world's outer boundary - a buffer zone between the world and spatial currents where turbulence couldn't reach them.
Both demons looked pale. The spatial turbulence was terrifying;even at Great Ascension Realm, enduring it had been extremely difficult. Fortunately, only a short distance remained, though their energy expenditure had been massive.
The octopus demon realized his earlier hopes were naive - there was no chance of return.
"Would an immortal ark's quality really be this poor?" He understood the fire demon's words now - they were expendable pawns. Their merits would benefit their clans, but for themselves...
The two demons exchanged glances.
"Let's go. Send out an avatar to destroy Tianyuan Realm," the fire demon said calmly.
"Wait! Look, what's that?" The octopus demon pointed at something in the distance.
The fire demon looked and was equally shocked: "What is that?"
They saw a passage torn open in the spatial turbulence outside the world, with massive amounts of stellar energy pouring through into the world.
The octopus demon was baffled: "Is this Tianyuan Realm? Something feels off..."
The fire demon frowned: "Investigate the situation!"
From beyond the Nine Heavens, they observed the world below.
Gradually, their confusion grew.
"Wait, this world's level has reached the peak of mortal realms. This can't be Tianyuan Realm!"
"Also, records said Green Vine Continent was only the size of a prefecture city. Look at that continent below - it's sizable even for a mortal world!"
"Let me calculate!" The octopus demon's tentacles intertwined as he performed calculations, then exclaimed, "Wait, this is the Seven Stars Realm!"
"Seven Stars Realm?" The fire demon was stunned. After verifying, he confirmed it was true.
"Did we get the wrong target world?" The fire demon sighed helplessly.
"Impossible! This was Tianyuan Realm's ascension passage..." The octopus demon was puzzled. "What do we do now?"
"Make cold squid salad," the fire demon sighed.
"You!" The octopus demon glared.
The fire demon spread his hands: "Without the immortal ark, unless we ascend back, what else can we do? As expendables, we weren't even given communication methods!"
The octopus demon wondered: "What secrets does Tianyuan Realm hold? Why would the master value a mere mortal world so much?"
"Enough!" The fire demon said after a pause, "Now we must revert to spiritual cultivation and find a way to ascend back to report. This might be our chance - if we return, we might avoid being sent again!"
The octopus demon's eyes lit up: "Great idea!"
Both demons looked at each other with sudden excitement, then dove toward the Seven Stars Realm, rapidly descending toward land.
Su Yuan's consciousness silently observed the two demons falling toward the earth. Stroking his chin, he pondered their conversation.
His [Seven Stars Supreme] status had alerted him when unknown beings crossed dimensions. Initially unconcerned about two Great Ascension Realm demons, their conversation revealed they were agents of that unknown enemy.
His world-renaming strategy had worked - neither demon suspected Seven Stars Realm was the former Tianyuan Realm. The changes were indeed drastic - the once-mighty Green Vine Continent had become a minor region, now called Seven Stars Prefecture, exclusively controlled by Seven Stars Sect while other sects led humans to newly emerged continents.
The two demons landed on an unremarkable mountain. Intending to begin their cultivation reversal, they soon found the local spiritual energy too sparse for their needs.
Following increasing energy concentrations, they noticed the towering stellar pillar connecting heaven and earth.
Gazing at the bright Big Dipper in the sky, the fire demon murmured: "No wonder it's called Seven Stars Realm - truly blessed by the Big Dipper."
As they traveled toward Seven Stars Prefecture, gathering information, they learned it was Seven Stars Immortal Sect's territory, rumored to have Great Ascension cultivators and be the world's strongest power.
"I heard Seven Stars Sect disciples can fight above their level, with geniuses defeating opponents a major realm higher! Their techniques must be extraordinary - likely advanced immortal realm heritage!" The octopus demon speculated.
The fire demon nodded: "If true, joining Seven Stars Sect would give us both powerful techniques and abundant spiritual energy - perfect for our needs!"
Listening in, Su Yuan had an idea. He needed to learn about this "master" figure - perhaps these demons could provide leads.
Summoning Zhuge Jian and Nangong Huoyu, he ordered them to capture a Golden Core peak-stage demon beast.
"What? We're only at Foundation Establishment peak, Ancestor! You want us to fight a Golden Core peak beast?" Zhuge Jian exclaimed.
"Is it difficult? There are two of you!" Su Yuan said. "Two against one gives you the advantage."
After a pause, Zhuge Jian nodded: "Understood, Ancestor!"
Nangong Huoyu added: "Don't worry, Ancestor. We'll use strategy, not brute force." She side-eyed Zhuge Jian, her gaze saying: "Are you an idiot? Only thinking of brute force?"
Zhuge Jian smiled awkwardly, realizing his mistake. Su Yuan smiled without comment.
As the two disciples departed, the demons observed them from above.
"Look, two Seven Stars Sect disciples - only Foundation Establishment peak, though their aura is stronger than usual," the fire demon noted.
"Why do they have seven nascent Golden Cores?" The shocked octopus demon exclaimed.
"Seven nascent Golden Cores?" The fire demon was equally astonished. "I've never even heard of such a thing! This must be incredible immortal realm heritage!"
As they marveled, the two disciples began fighting the Golden Core peak beast. Within half an hour, using arrays, pills, talismans, and formidable techniques, they killed the beast despite the realm gap.
"Are these Seven Stars Sect's top geniuses?" The octopus demon was stunned.
"Probably just regular talents - we couldn't have randomly encountered their strongest disciples. Even so, it proves Seven Stars Sect's techniques are extraordinary. Joining them would be perfect for our cultivation reversal!" The fire demon said.

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