No Obstacle One Cannot Conquer . . .
In the realm of the Royal Sacred Sect, the word 'Sacred' held profound significance. It adorned titles, places, and artifacts with an aura of extraordinary importance. Sacred Emperor, Sacred Battle Platform, Sacred Royal City, Sacred Royal Medallion—all bore the weight of the sect's might and reputation.
Qin Wentian's calculated choice of the Sacred Battle Platform showcased his cunning intelligence. A multitude of spectators had gathered, eager to witness how the Royal Sacred Sect would respond to his poignant plea. His decision was both tragic and poignant—knowing he couldn't elude death, he opted for a dignified demise. If the Royal Sacred Sect declined his request, they would face the scorn of the world.
Qin Wentian's vendetta against the Royal Sacred Sect originated from a battle—a testament to his audacious entrance into the sect, where he vanquished Xia Sheng with unwavering dominance. To avenge their wounded pride, the sect's best recourse was a battle, a chance to demonstrate the excellence of their disciples and affirm their hegemonic status.
"Qin Wentian, you are a mere ant, unworthy of conversation with our Royal Sacred Sect, let alone challenging our members." The airship's controller brimmed with unease, recalling Qin Wentian's ruthless defeat of Chi Tie. Finding a first-level Celestial Phenomenon expert capable of defeating him was a daunting task.
Second-level Ascendants, aware that defeat in this grand spectacle would amount to public humiliation, hesitated to accept the challenge. To do so was to risk a resounding slap to their own faces. Killing Qin Wentian outright seemed the safer choice.
"The Royal Sacred Sect is pitiable indeed," remarked Ye Qingyun, his hands clasped behind his back. "As the world's hegemon, this is a woeful spectacle. Qin Wentian rejected your offer to join, and your sect couldn't abide geniuses surpassing your disciples' talents. Now you dare not accept his challenge. Would the Sacred Emperor not die of shame if he knew?"
"IMPUDENT!" thundered a voice from the Royal Sacred Sect. More sect members converged, including the one named Li, who once sought to recruit Qin Wentian into the Core Faction. He now gazed with disdain at Qin Wentian and Ye Qingyun, bewildered by the magnitude of the commotion stirred by the unassuming Qin Wentian.
Standing beside Li, Zai Qiu harbored icy eyes and relentless malice as he locked his gaze on Qin Wentian. This was the man who nearly claimed his life and who had indirectly cost Xia Sheng his. Qin Wentian's existence continued to vex his sect.
"Am I impudent?" Ye Qingyun countered, his eyes unwavering. "The Royal Sacred Sect, deemed a holy sanctuary, has failed to earn its reputation. While many aspire to join, those who decline face persecution. Do you truly believe you possess dominion over the lives of those in the Royal Sacred Region? To the extent of threatening the ancient Ye and Grand Xia Empire? Are you fit to be the world's hegemon?"
Ye Qingyun's voice resonated, its force extending over a hundred miles. His words struck a chord, igniting doubts about the Royal Sacred Sect's tyranny. Did they genuinely believe they owned the lives of everyone, to do with as they pleased?
"My Royal Sacred Sect has endured through generations, its renown unassailable. Ye Qingyun, do you believe your words can sway the hearts of the masses?" Li, his anger simmering beneath a veneer of calmness, retorted with thunderous authority.
"Strong throughout the generations?" Qin Wentian's voice dripped with sarcasm as he locked his gaze onto Li Mo. An oppressive aura emanated, causing numerous experts to soar into the airspace above the Sacred Battle Platform. Their presence was stifling, their collective weight pressing down on the onlookers.
"Why the hesitation?" Qin Wentian continued, his tone biting. "I've offered a simple challenge—prove your sect's strength by engaging in honorable combat. Or perhaps, the Royal Sacred Sect fears its reputation will crumble at my hands?"
Elder Li, his eyes aflame with murderous intent, didn't hesitate to command, "Li Mo, end him."
Li Mo, shrouded in a frigid aura, descended onto the platform. He hailed from the same clan as Li, and while his cultivation wasn't exceptionally high, his deep foundation and remarkable combat prowess set him apart. Among the Royal Sacred Sect's second-level Celestial Phenomenon disciples, Li Mo ranked among the top three.
Li Mo possessed two constellations—one for offense and one for defense. These constellations complemented each other seamlessly, making him a formidable contender.
Ye Qingyun, the current platform controller, activated a curtain of light that sealed the platform. Qin Wentian and Li Mo would face each other one-on-one. Until their battle concluded, the curtain of light would remain in place, barring their exit.
Ye Qingyun's eyes gleamed with anticipation, hoping that Qin Wentian's combat prowess would exceed expectations. Today, they aimed to unseat the Royal Sacred Sect from its divine pedestal, revealing that its hegemonic title was more presumption than fact.
Their message was clear: the world belonged to everyone, not solely to the Royal Sacred Sect. Without generations of geniuses, the sect would be little more than the Sacred Emperor and nothing more.
On the Sacred Battle Platform, Li Mo's eyes emitted a demonic, unsettling power as they took on a peculiar appearance. Countless eyes appeared in his constellation, ensnaring Qin Wentian in a realm dominated by watching eyes. The hypnotic spiral of eyes sought to disorient his mind.
"An eye-type constellation?" Qin Wentian recognized the challenge. Stellar martial cultivators' astral souls could take various forms depending on the constellations they condensed from. Some cultivated eye-type astral souls to enhance their eye techniques. Within this ethereal world, a pair of eyes spun like a kaleidoscope, entrancing anyone caught within. Li Mo's figure vanished from view.
Li Mo's selection was no casual choice; it was calculated. Qin Wentian had challenged the Royal Sacred Sect before the world, and any losses would tarnish the sect's prestige. Victory in a single fight, however, could force Qin Wentian to commit suicide in front of the world, reaffirming their dominance.
Qin Wentian's palms radiated brilliant light as he struck out, producing a thunderous explosion that shattered the eyes before him. Yet, the effects were negligible. The eyes transformed endlessly, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.
"Seems like a Celestial Phenomenon Ascendant's strength hinges on the constellation they choose to condense," Qin Wentian mused aloud. He was locked in a deadly dance with his opponent, and the constellation this adversary wielded was nothing like Chi Tie's. It possessed a potent confusion effect that made it challenging for Qin Wentian to defeat without unveiling his own constellation.
In the midst of their battle, pairs of eyes blinked in and out of existence, creating an eerie spectacle. Suddenly, a multitude of these unsettling eyes materialized before Qin Wentian. Human hands extended from the pupils, a grotesque sight, and they all launched a synchronized assault, unleashing a destructive surge of energy toward him.
"Bzzz!"
Qin Wentian's astral soul burst forth, transforming into a constellation as radiant particles swirled around him. A towering wave of demonic energy surged from within him, and a pair of golden roc wings unfurled behind his back.
"Rumble!"
Relentless palm strikes descended upon his wings, causing Qin Wentian's body to quiver under the relentless assault. The palm strikes from the eyes were tangible and carried genuine destructive force.
Cracking sounds filled the air as Qin Wentian's golden wings seemed on the verge of shattering. But in the same instant, the palm strikes landed, Qin Wentian released his Dreamworld Constellation, enshrouding the entire realm in its influence. His opponent's constellation reappeared in the sky, but this time, Qin Wentian had seized control of the world's sovereignty.
Floating in the air, Li Mo's second constellation, a rock-type one that granted him formidable defense, appeared behind him. His expression twisted into one of displeasure as he gazed at Qin Wentian. "Your constellation can actually seize others' domains? What kind of constellation is that?"
"It's the Dreamworld Constellation. In this realm, I have access to boundless energy," Qin Wentian replied. He gathered a devastating destructive energy in the air, forming a colossal palm imprint that struck out with immense force.
Li Mo, fortified by his rock-type constellation, maintained an unbreakable defense. The crushing sounds of impact filled the air as the stone armor around him shattered. However, his constellation's light continued to shine, bolstering his defense. This level of protection was nearly impervious; ordinary second-level Ascendants would find it impossible to breach.
"Your attack is impressive. But I'm afraid it won't penetrate my defense," Li Mo asserted confidently. Sinister gleams danced in the countless pairs of eyes in the sky.
"Are you absolutely certain?" Qin Wentian's retort was cold. His demonic energy intensified, transforming him into a golden-winged roc. An overwhelming aura of indomitable strength emanated from him, capable of overcoming any obstacle.
"Bzz!"
The howling wind tore through the void as a golden radiance bathed the world. The Dreamworld Constellation's astral light illuminated the golden roc, making its already razor-sharp wings even deadlier.
"Swish, swish..."
The thousand-meter-wide wings descended from the heavens. In that moment, they seemed to contain countless images of golden wings, slicing through the air toward Li Mo.
Li Mo's expression turned ashen. His body emitted brilliant astral light, transforming into divine stone to fortify his unyielding defense.
The golden wings descended, slicing through the source of Li Mo's astral light. In that moment, a faint, candle-like glow coated the golden wings, and upon contact with the rock, it seemed to meet no resistance, allowing the wings to slice through the rocky exterior effortlessly.
Li Mo's face contorted in terror, but he had no more tricks up his sleeve. A golden beam of light cleaved down, slicing his body in two.