Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy

Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy . . . 

Qing'er directed her frosty gaze at the Evergreen Immortal Emperor, her eyes revealing a tinge of displeasure. When her father caught her look, he spoke, his tone tinged with a sense of jest, "Qing'er, can you fathom that your father is consumed by jealousy when it comes to this rascal? Tell me, should I simply eliminate him?"

Qing'er remained silent, her head shaking slightly. The Evergreen Immortal Emperor continued, "If I were to kill him, you'd likely disavow our relationship forever."

With a deep sigh, he turned his attention back to Qin Wentian. "I understand that you wish to marry Qing'er, but your current strength is vastly inadequate. You are, in truth, remarkably weak—so weak, in fact, that an immortal king could effortlessly extinguish your life. The current circumstances are precarious; they have dared to exert pressure upon the Evergreen Immortal Empire, let alone a lone wanderer like you. To protect someone, you must often stand at the pinnacle of the immortal realms. Your words would then be law, and none would dare to challenge you. Should you become enraged, countless empires would prostrate themselves in a bid to appease you."

Qin Wentian's heart trembled at the gravity of the Evergreen Immortal Emperor's words, and he replied in a hushed tone, "Only those legendary ancient emperor figures, who once reigned supreme over the immortal realms, could command such authority."

"Exactly. Even I, at my current level, struggle to protect those dear to me. You are no different... If these individuals didn't care about their reputation and weren't reluctant to personally act against you, you would already be dead. Do you comprehend?" The Evergreen Immortal Emperor fixed a stern gaze on Qin Wentian.

"I understand," Qin Wentian nodded in agreement.

"No, you don't. They haven't taken direct action against you because you currently pose no threat to them. But once you begin to demonstrate even the slightest inkling of danger, there will be those willing to pay any price to eliminate you. Mark my words," the Evergreen Immortal Emperor cautioned.

Qin Wentian's heart quivered in realization. Indeed, the Eastern Sage Immortal Emperor and the Violet Emperor hadn't acted against him personally because they were unaware of his involvement in the deaths of Dongsheng Ting and Zi Yunwu. Additionally, he posed no imminent threat to them, and with Emperor Yu and the Thousand Transformations Emperor Lord as allies, a fragile balance had been established. Hence, they refrained from taking action. However, if the day came when they perceived him as a threat, they would hesitate no longer.

In the immortal realms, every action was calculated with great precision. Once the delicate balance was disrupted, all rules and restraint would crumble.

"Prepare yourselves. I will send you both to a place for cultivation over the next few years," the Evergreen Immortal Emperor declared before vanishing from sight.

"Send us to cultivate?" Qin Wentian muttered, perplexed. Qing'er turned to him, equally bewildered, uncertain of her father's intentions.

Meanwhile, the Evergreen Immortal Emperor had not returned to the imperial palace. Instead, he entered another majestic palace and met with an ethereal figure, his flowing silvery-white beard cascading gracefully.

"Have you made your decision?" the ethereal figure inquired.

"Yes," the Evergreen Immortal Emperor confirmed. "Since Qing'er has given her heart to him, I can't prevent it. I can only offer him a stroke of good fortune. Let us hope he seizes it."

"Of course. He still requires a challenging environment to temper himself. However, sending him away carries its own risks for you," the figure cautioned.

"I have faith in your judgment," the Evergreen Immortal Emperor replied. "Furthermore, I believe I understand him. My judgment should not falter."

"I wouldn't have revealed this if I hadn't probed his destiny. But since you've decided, we must prepare to repel the Skymist Immortal Empire," the figure concluded.

"We should be able to resolve two issues with this. If not..." The Evergreen Immortal Emperor locked eyes with the elderly man before him, offering a wry smile. "Then, let's go to war."

With that declaration, he turned and walked away, leaving behind a throng of nobles clamoring for an audience outside the Emperor's Palace. However, the Evergreen Immortal Emperor remained elusive, granting no audience to the petitioners.

As the days passed, the one-month deadline approached, casting a pall of anxiety over the entire Evergreen Immortal Empire. The atmosphere was especially tense on this particular day. Outside the imperial palace, countless people gathered, eagerly anticipating the unfolding events.

Today marked the deadline for the Evergreen Immortal Empire to either accept the agreement or face the consequences. The Skymist Immortal Empire, along with its allies, had entered the imperial palace to 'reclaim' Princess Qing'er and Princess Glaze, planning to marry them into the Skymist Immortal Empire.

Until this moment, the Evergreen Immortal Empire had yet to acknowledge the adjudication.

Outside the palace, numerous figures assembled in the distance. Among them were experts hailing from various major powers. Leading the procession was an immensely powerful group, whose every step seemed to resonate with the earth, causing the ground to tremble. Their overwhelming presence radiated toward the Emperor's Palace, filling the guards stationed at the gates with unease.

The Skymist Immortal Empire had ventured boldly to their doorstep, yet the Evergreen Immortal Emperor had shown no signs of readiness for battle.

"BOOM!" The resounding footsteps grew closer. Ahead of the Skymist Envoy, a formidable old man emerged. His cultivation was heavenly, perhaps even that of an immortal emperor. Each of his steps seemed to embody the essence of the Great Dao, sending tremors through the hearts of onlookers. Such overwhelming power pressed upon the imperial palace.

At last, these figures reached the palace gates. The Skymist Immortal spoke, "The Skymist Envoy has arrived to await the Evergreen Immortal Empire's compliance with the agreement. We shall escort Princess Qing'er and Princess Glaze back to Skymist."

"BULLSHIT!" A thunderous voice reverberated from within the palace. An old man materialized in the sky, his aura resembling a wild and untamed beast. He declared with a cold tone, "We refuse to recognize this so-called 'adjudication.'"

"BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!" The nobles of the Evergreen Immortal Empire ascended into the air, opposing the Skymist Immortal Empire and their allies.

"What a ludicrous notion. Do ancient emperors still exist?" One noble scoffed. "By what authority does the Skymist Immortal Empire dare to invoke an adjudication? Have they truly unified the entire immortal realms?"

"INSOLENCE!" The immortal emperor of the Skymist Immortal Empire retorted. Instantly, everyone present felt intense agony. Those with lower cultivation even coughed up blood. The word was infused with the power of the Great Dao, resonating through the heavens and penetrating their souls. The immortal emperor continued icily, "As a major power in the Eastern Regions, does the Evergreen Immortal Empire intend to dishonor this agreement? If so, the Skymist Immortal Empire will invoke an adjudication, enlisting the support of other major powers present. It's unbelievable that even now, the Evergreen Immortal Empire refuses to acknowledge the agreement. Your actions bring shame to our immortal realms."

"Indeed, the agreement bears the royal seal of the Evergreen Immortal Empire. They must honor it, no matter the circumstances." A member of the Paragon Sword Sect chimed in.

"What a farce! Do you intend to decide our empire's affairs with a flawed agreement? And why does the Paragon Sword Sect even have a say in this matter?" The Evergreen Immortal Empire's nobles erupted in anger. Their collective aura formed an invisible tempest, clashing against the opposing experts. The clash created a barrier of blinding light that expanded across the entire area.

"I just want to know if the Evergreen Immortal Empire intends to honor the agreement. Will you hand over the princesses or not?" The immortal emperor of the Skymist Immortal Empire questioned, further infuriating the Evergreen Immortal Empire. Hand over the princesses? Were the Skymist Empire's intentions to treat the princesses of the Evergreen Immortal Empire as prisoners?

Even disregarding the princesses' lofty status, such an insult would not be tolerated even by the daughters of common nobility.

"No," a resolute voice thundered from within the palace. The nobles' eyes flashed, and they turned in unison. After a moment, a figure materialized high in the sky, emitting a dazzling radiance, akin to a deity.

"We humbly pay our respects to the great emperor." The nobles of the Evergreen Immortal Empire all knelt in unison, their deference palpable as the aura emanating from the Evergreen Immortal Emperor enveloped the entire space.

"The envoys from Skymist extend our respects to the Evergreen Immortal Emperor." The Skymist experts bowed gracefully, maintaining an appearance of politeness. Yet, behind their facade, there was a distinct lack of genuine respect in their eyes.

"Evergreen Immortal Emperor, we sincerely hope that you will honor the agreement made in the past between our two empires, allowing us to bring back the two princesses," the immortal emperor from Skymist spoke. Even when facing the Evergreen Immortal Emperor, he showed no fear.

The Evergreen Immortal Emperor floated in the air, his gaze locked onto his counterpart. He remained silent, but his eyes bore an intense sharpness, as though he could pierce through his adversary's very soul. After a prolonged moment, he finally spoke, "The adjudication ruling? Very well. Since you all place such faith in the adjudication of the immortal realms, I shall make an announcement. I do not agree with the ruling, and I welcome the ensuing adjudication battle."

His voice resonated far and wide, sending shivers through countless hearts. The Evergreen Immortal Emperor was prepared to engage in the adjudication battle.

The immortal emperor from Skymist flashed a determined look as he stared at the Evergreen Immortal Emperor. "In that case, which cultivation realm do you choose for this battle? Immortal Foundation or Immortal King?"

His eyes gleamed with a sharpness that indicated his understanding. An adjudication battle was a large-scale confrontation, and with so many allies involved, the potential casualties would be catastrophic. After all, this battle was a matter of life and death.

The nobles of the Evergreen Immortal Empire, too, felt their hearts quiver. It seemed the Evergreen Immortal Emperor had already considered this option, and he was willing to engage in the adjudication battle. It was a choice they had to make. To surrender the two princesses would tarnish the Evergreen Immortal Empire's reputation, turning them into a laughingstock among the immortal realms. They would rather face battle than submit.

"Immortal Foundation," the Evergreen Immortal Emperor declared. This choice was expected, as Immortal Kings held great importance to a sect or empire, and neither side could afford significant losses in this large-scale adjudication battle.

"The adjudication ruling necessitates a minimum of eighty-one experts from each side. This is a mutual agreement. Evergreen Immortal Emperor, how many participants will you designate for each cultivation level?" The Skymist immortal emperor inquired.

"In this era, ancient emperors no longer exist. Doesn't that render the adjudication battle somewhat farcical? However, since the Skymist Immortal Empire is determined to enforce the adjudication ruling, allow me to show the immortal realms... an era where ancient emperors shall once again emerge!" The Evergreen Immortal Emperor proclaimed. He stomped on the ground with tremendous force, and the sky transformed into a vast expanse of starry space.

"What is the Evergreen Immortal Emperor planning?" The onlookers exchanged bewildered glances.

"An era where ancient emperors will reappear?" The Skymist Immortal Empire's experts questioned, their gazes fixed on the sky where astral energy had formed a pathway among the stars. This ancient path radiated splendor and exuded a majestic presence that awed everyone to their cores.

At the end of this starry path, a grand and imposing palace stood, flickering in and out of existence as it projected its image downward.

"Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy! He's summoning the Heavenly Dao Sacred Academy," the Skymist immortal emperor exclaimed. His companions wore dazed expressions, their eyes fixed on the majestic academy's projection.